The Dichotomy of Namikaze Naruto
by Thundereaper
Summary: What lies behind the Shiki Fuuin? Who is Naruto, really? Told from the Mizuki incident onwards, a new Naruto emerges, smarter, stronger, and better. Female Kyuubi. NaruXFemKyuuXFemHakuXTentenXHinataXIno.
1. Revelations and Changes

Yep, it's another story from your friendly neighborhood flake. Yay!

Any who, this is going on the premise of so many other stories, but I hope to make this one more in-depth than other stories have been. Yes, this means that it will be long, involved, and full of detail. I don't want another, 'Oh, hi Kyuubi, give me superpowers' **'Ok, here, now you're suddenly more powerful than Orochimaru for some reason'** deals. Naruto ain't going to be some overnight fucking superman. He'll be strong (overnight), sure, but if you're worried about him being too powerful…don't worry about that. Let _me_ worry about that.

As always, reviews help, but flamers can go do various things with various objects with one particular orifice. You know what I mean. The pairings are pretty obvious later on, so that's taken care of. I don't like Sakura, but I won't go overboard with the Sakura bashing. She'll redeem herself at some point.

I don't own Naruto. I ain't getting any money off of this. Lord, I wish I was. I could use it.

**Also, I'd like to give props and credit to Islagatt as my beta reader. If you haven't read his stuff, I suggest you do so as soon as possible…it rocks many shades of awesome.**

Oh, and I'm a dude. Just setting that straight right now. On with the story.

* * *

Sleep didn't seem to be coming easily. It wasn't exactly surprising, considering the events that had taken place only hours before. After all, it wasn't every day that you learned that you had one of the most powerful entities in existence sitting in your belly. 

Just hours ago, he had learned that he was the container for _**the**_ Kyuubi no Kitsune. In a way, it wasn't nearly surprising as it should have been. In fact, if anything, it made him happy. It served to explain_so_ much about the young Nin's life, and the hell of loneliness that he had endured for so long. The stares, the whispered, and not so whispered comments behind his back, and even to his face, calling him a 'monster' and a 'scourge', among other, more colorful adjectives.

Yes, happy was about the closest emotion that he could attribute to his mood right now, but it didn't exactly describe his exact state of mind. No, to describe that, you'd have to look up the word 'pissed' in the dictionary.

Naruto stared at his alarm clock, which read exactly 2:00 A.M. and let out yet another sigh. The whole situation was fucked up. Just plain fucked up. The more he thought about it, the more he became agitated, and even angry. Not at himself, and not really the Kyuubi…but at the village. It was a dangerous line of thinking, and Naruto didn't really want to dwell on it, but every time he tried to push it to the back of his mind, it popped up again, unbidden.

They _knew_. They fucking _knew_. The village as a whole, at least those above the age of fourteen or fifteen, _knew_ that he was the_**container**_ for the Kyuubi. They knew that the Kyuubi was_**sealed**_ into Naruto…the Kyuubi wasn't transformed, he wasn't somehow given a random human image and a human body, and some sort of uncanny acting ability to act exactly like a _human_ for all this time…he was _**sealed**_ into a human, and that human was just that…_**HUMAN**_.

Regardless of this little _tidbit_ of information, they still treated him like trash.

No, they treated him _lower_ than trash. They treated him as some form of life that didn't even deserve _existence_, let alone the ability to pursue the daunting task of being a human _child_.

Pushing away that train of thought, Naruto focused on the more positive aspects of the night...what few there were, anyway. The night hadn't been _all_ bad. He'd helped root out a traitor, he'd mastered a Jounin level 'forbidden' technique, saved his Sensei from sure death...and on top of all that, he'd managed to graduate.

It was strange though. Mizuki, who was obviously a traitor to the village, would probably get more general respect than Naruto would, even after…no, especially _because_ of this incident. After all, Mizuki had simply tried to kill the village's little monster boy, and he was simply grieving, or some such tripe…at least, that's probably how the council would see it. They were always harping on him about something or another. Luckily, Sarutobi stood in the way between them and him.

He made a mental note to buy his surrogate grandfather some ramen at Ichiraku sometime.

Naruto sighed again, for what felt like the hundredth time. The more and more he thought about it, there were precious few reasons for him to stay loyal to this abhorrent village, let alone _fight_ for it...save for the one promise he had made to the Sandaime.

He had promised, when he was still young, oblivious, and impressionable, that he would become a ninja of Konoha. What's more, he had promised to the old man that he would protect the village with his life. Naruto was many things, but among them, he was _not_ someone who broke promises, even when there was a tremendous reason why he should. It simply didn't work that way.

That didn't necessarily mean that he would fight _for_ the village, though. There was no real reason for him to fight _for_ anyone that lived in Konoha, save for the very, _very_ short list of people that he considered to be precious to him. The Sandaime was easily at the top of that list, followed closely by the owners of Ichiraku ramen, Iruka and followed very, _very_ distantly by Uchiha Sasuke, simply because he was one of the first people to ever truly acknowledge his existence beyond that of simply, 'that boy'.

Naruto glanced at his alarm clock again, and silently cursed. It was almost 3 A.M. now, and tomorrow he would be getting assigned teams. He needed sleep, and he needed it badly. He had to be at the very least _awake_ tomorrow during the team assignment ceremony, and he wanted to be at least somewhat prepared for whatever came after that. It never really hurt to be prepared.

Something clicked inside of Naruto's mind…if he couldn't find sleep, then perhaps he could find meditation.

Sitting up, and positioning himself in a cross legged stance on his bed, he closed his eyes, and began…to…do…

On second thought, Naruto had absolutely no idea how to meditate. All he knew was that you had to get in some stupid cross-legged position, close your eyes, and do something…like…centering yourself, or calming yourself…or something like that. Of course, he had absolutely no idea what the hell that meant, only that he had seen something like it on TV, or seen someone do it once. He had no real clue how he was supposed to…

Naruto's train of thought was interrupted by what sounded like a low grumble emanating from his head, and then a sharp, excruciating pain that hit him in both his stomach, and in the back of his head at the same time. Naruto thought that perhaps he was under attack, until he noticed that there was truly no one else with him. The pain increased in both intensity and volume, and as Naruto saw a slight red aura envelop his body, his mind began to drag him into unconsciousness.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing he noticed was the smell. It _smelled_ like fear. Scratch that, it practically _reeked_ of fear…or something that sought to induce it. Naruto wasn't entirely sure that fear would produce a smell, but if there were to be a smell attributed to fear, this would be it.

Naruto got up and surveyed his surroundings. It looked to be a sewer of some kind, and there looked to be pipes and conduits all over the place, as well as a thin layer of water covering the ground. On either side of him were what looked like passages. As he walked on, he could make out that some of these passages had doors with extremely tight padlocks, and others simply became dead ends. However, as he neared the end of the hallway he was in, he surveyed one passage that ended in a bright flash of light that blocked anyone from seeing past it, without first entering it. It was really the only path available.

He stumbled down the hallway, and as he stepped into the light, he could vaguely make out what looked to be…a gate? Walking closer, the light, quite suddenly, was no longer obscuring his vision, having seemingly melted behind him.

Yes, it was certainly a gate. A gate with intricate patterns carved out along the bars, and a flimsy piece of paper in the middle, with the Kanji for 'seal' written in the middle. Everything beyond the gate, however, was pitch black, and no matter how much Naruto strained, he couldn't see what might be beyond it.

That particular quandary was quickly answered, however. As Naruto approached the bars, a smiling, and particularly _terrifying_ visage made itself known to Naruto, and as much as he wanted to back away from the bars, he found that his legs had suddenly seemed to stop obeying his mind. What a terrible time for insubordination.

Both Naruto and the…entity…stared at each other for what seemed to be forever, before the frightening visage broke the stalemate and began laughing. It was a deep, bellowing laugh that was quite possibly the most evil sounding thing that Naruto had ever heard in his life, and yet, it carried an undertone of mirth to it that was quite hard to ignore. It was…confusing, to say the least. Naruto was about to voice his confusion to…whatever it was…when the visage began speaking.

"**The look on your face was absolutely **_**priceless**_**. I haven't seen a look like that on anyone's face for a...long time."** Naruto was now more perturbed than anything, and was about to speak up, again, when he was interrupted…again.

The entity behind the bars let forth a sound like an exasperated sigh. "**Undoubtedly, you're wondering just where you are, who I am, and why you are here, right?"** Before Naruto could respond in the positive, the entity continued.** "Well…the answer to the first two is rather simple. We are in your mind, and I am, of course..."**

The entity...puffed out its chest? **"...The great Kyuubi no Kitsune!"**

Silence.

Naruto coughed.

As did the Kyuubi.

Kyuubi continued, as his declaration seemed to fall flat. It grumbled slightly. **"...as to exactly **_**why**_** you're here…well, that is going to take considerably more explanation."**

Here, the fox seemed to pause in contemplation. Naruto waited for quite some time and allowed the first bit of information to sink in. He was _talking_ to _the_ Kyuubi. What's more, he was somehow corporeal within his own mind. It didn't make a tremendous amount of sense, but he couldn't really chalk it up to being some sort of bad dream or anything...it was too lucid for that...so, for the moment, he accepted the fox's explanation.

Naruto waited for the fox to begin again, but when it seemed as though no explanation was forthcoming, he decided to take the initiative, and this time, he was _not_ going to be interrupted.

"Well? I'm in my mind, and I'm talking to a bastard demon fox, now, _why_ am I talking to you?" Naruto gave the fox his best 'angry' glare, but against something that _reeked_ of malice like this, it didn't really do much. Not to mention the fact that the fox looked even more amused than he did before.

"**Impatient, aren't we?"** He chuckled.** "Then again, when you have the lifespan of a human, I suppose time **_**would**_** be at a premium, wouldn't it?"** He sighed.** "I wouldn't worry about it. Although you're talking to me in here, the time that is passing out **_**there**_** in the real world is going considerably more slowly than it is in here. After all, even though you may be dense, the mind **_**does**_** move faster than the body."**

Kyuubi laughed boomingly.** "Besides, this gives us more than enough time for the rather **_**lengthy**_** conversation we are about to have."**

Naruto gulped just slightly after the fox said 'lengthy'…it certainly didn't bode well for whatever it was that the fox wanted to talk about.

The fox sat down on his haunches, licking its chops and breathing shallowly, as if fully at rest. "**Simply put, now that you actually **_**know**_** of my existence, it's time that both you and I attempt to make the best of this rather…unfortunate…situation. Before, I had the luxury of being able to simply sleep my days away and plot various dastardly things that I would do when or if I ever managed to escape this horrible prison. However, now that you know I'm here, undoubtedly, you're going to get into a situation where you'll call upon my power, either consciously or not. As such, I propose that we make a deal. Or rather, several deals, regarding my situation, as well as your situation out there."**

Kyuubi leaned down so that his nose was very close to his own. It was intimidating as hell, if he were honest with himself.

"**You see, I know much more about you than you do about me. During the time I've been cooped up in this infernal cage, I've been able to observe both your life, and your bodily processes, and I've been able to concoct a rather…fortunate…deal that will, in the end, make both of us more happy."**

At this, the Kyuubi paused for a moment, allowing Naruto to absorb what the Kitsune had just said. Call upon the fox's power? Deals? Being happy? If the fox had been observing his life, then surely he had to know that it hadn't exactly been fun…he quietly prayed that the fox had an empathetic nerve somewhere in his body.

Naruto made a smart decision for once in his life, and simply plopped himself down on the cold ground of the cell, falling quiet to listen to whatever it was that the fox was proposing.

The fox, again, sat back on his haunches. **"****Good boy."** Naruto glared petulantly, and Kyuubi just laughed…but continued soon after.

"**Since you are obviously at a disadvantage here, information wise at least, I'll start off with a few acts of 'good faith'. The first things you should know are..."** It sighed, muttering something about clichés.** "...predictably, about both my deductions regarding your family line, and the purposes of the seals…yes,**_**seals**_**, plural, that were placed on you when I was sealed into you."** At the word 'family', Naruto scrambled up and stared wide eyed at the visage in front of him, eyes slightly quaking in both apprehension and barely contained anticipation.

Naruto had wanted…no,_ dreamed_ of having a family, or, at the very least, knowing who his family was, for as long as he could remember. It was one of the things in life that he wanted more than anything else, and this...fox…was willing to tell him who his parentage was, even when other's wouldn't. Naruto wasn't entirely sure whether he should be thanking the fox, or cursing those who had withheld the information of his heritage from him for so long. Perhaps, he should be doing both.

"You know…you know who my family was? I'm not going to ask how or anything but…please, just tell me!" Naruto was beside himself at this point. He didn't care about any of the consequences, he had to know, and he would give almost anything to know.

The fox merely smiled…not a tremendously evil smile either, but one that seemed at least somewhat genuine…as genuine as a smile from an evil fox demon can get, anyway. **"Oh, but how I know is as much a part of the story as the information itself is."** The fox seemed to contemplate his words again, and then faced Naruto with his normal look back in place.

The next words out of the fox demon's mouth, however, were as unexpected as his actions. **"Understandably, this form I have right now is undoubtedly a hindrance to our continued conversation. Hold on for a few moments, while I slip into something more comfortable…"** The fox seemed to chuckle slightly at this, and Naruto saw the visage disappear. For a few minutes, he simply sat there, his mind a comfortable blank, until something he certainly didn't expect to see, walked right back up to the bars of the cage. It sat down directly parallel to Naruto on the other side of the virtual gulf that separated them.

_She_ was gorgeous. By any standards of the word, the being that sat in front of Naruto was the very picture of beauty and grace. She had bright, dazzlingly red hair that flowed down to the middle of her back as a waterfall might cascade off of a mountain top. Her skin was a pale alabaster, and her face was a visage of femininity. It gently curved down the sides and sloped perfectly in all the right places. She had whisker marks, just as Naruto did, just thicker, and her eyes were a burning red with vertical, slitted pupils that reminded Naruto very much that this beauty sitting in front of him was _the_ Kyuubi no Kitsune. She wore a dark maroon Kimono with pink sakura petals adorning it as if they were falling. The Kimono didn't show off much, however it served to accentuate her curves almost perfectly, almost as if it were a second skin. This was all accentuated by a bright red, flower patterned obi tied in a bow in the back around her midsection.

What Naruto's eyes were inextricably drawn to, however, was what adorned her neck. What looked to be a jet black collar was around her neck, with blood red kanji written on it that Naruto couldn't quite discern from his vantage point. For whatever reason, it fascinated Naruto to look upon it, and only when Kyuubi cleared her throat, did Naruto return to his senses.

Now that he had his senses about him once again, he noticed something else about the girl in front of him. She looked to be no older than Naruto. She was developed, yes, but not overly so, and she was only a few inches taller than Naruto. Her facial features as well as certain curves about her didn't really seem to make her look any older or any younger than Naruto himself. Naruto was now curious.

"Why is it that you don't look any older than me? I mean, you're like, thousands of years old right?" Naruto gave the Kyuubi a quizzical expression as he asked the question, but she just scoffed.

This time, when she spoke, it was no longer that booming, ethereal voice that she held before, but rather a very feminine, alto pitched voice that sounded as though she could be any girl of 12 or 13. It still held an undercurrent of…_something_…though…that made it sound authorative. **"I look this old, because this is how old I choose to make myself. I **_**am**_** after all, a pseudo immortal being, and I can choose to make myself look as old or as young as I need to be or want to be. It's one of the perks of being what I am."** At this, Naruto seemed to gain a look of almost understanding on his face, and adorned what could be construed as a smile on his face.

"Amazing…who would ever think that _the_ Kyuubi would be a chick! All that destruction and stuff, and the deep booming voice, coming from a_ girl_!" At this, Naruto began laughing rather hard, and a vein on Kyuubi's forehead grew to epic proportions.

She sounded pissed off, but far less intimidating than before. **"Of course, society **_**would**_** think that it was a **_**male**_** causing all of this destruction…after all, that's pretty much all they're good for…aside from reproduction."**

Naruto stopped laughing and gave Kyuubi a puzzled expression. "Was that an insult?"

"**Yes."**

"Oh…you're not very good at those, are you?"

"**You know, I **_**could**_** just boot you out of here, and never tell you what you want to know."**

Naruto scrambled to his prior position sitting down quietly...or not so quietly, as it were. "WHAT? No! No, no, no, keep going, please…I'll shut up…"

Kyuubi smirked.**"Good. You're learning. Now, hold still and listen well."**

The boy did what he was told, and Kyuubi noted his facial expression...one of rapt attention and barely contained excitement.

She took it as a cue to begin her explanation. **"As I said before, the reason behind me knowing who your family is…or at least, parent...as I've yet to figure out whom one of your progenitors was, is just as important as the information itself."**

She began pacing somewhat. "**When I was first sealed into you, eventually, I noticed that there was a small, consistent chakra drain coming from me that never stopped, or even wavered, no matter what I, or you did. At first I thought it was some sort of function of the seal, trying to get you used to my chakra, but by then, I had noticed that my own chakra intermingled with yours on a regular basis. This smaller chakra drain was the function of something else entirely, and in time, I was able to figure out what it was.**

The Kyuubi paused only momentarily, to see that the expression on Naruto's face was one of concentration and deep thought. Frankly, the Kyuubi was impressed that he was capable of such feats. Undaunted, she continued. **"The chakra drain was…**_**is**_**…due to something known as an Impression Seal. It is an arcane and almost extinct seal that has not been used in a **_**very**_** long time…"** She tapped her chin in contemplation for a moment. **"...almost 200 years if I remember correctly."** She shrugged.** "To be perfectly honest, I have no clue why it was used on you, as it seems almost counter-intuitive to do so."**

Her pacing increased in tempo, as Naruto became even more enraptured...even though she was sure he didn't understand half of what she was saying.

Regardless, she continued. **"Impression seals are used to bind characteristics of one person to another. For example, if...say...Sasuke's father were to use the impression seal on him, Sasuke would gain almost exact genetic characteristics of his father…his appearance would change, his bone structure would change…all traces of his mother's side of DNA would be completely obliterated from him. In essence, he would become a pseudo-clone of his father. He would still retain some original genetic characteristics; however they would have to be of the anomalous sort to actually qualify not to be wiped from his genetic structure."**

Here, Kyuubi paused again, to see a tremendously confused looking Naruto staring back at her. Barely repressing a sigh, she thought up a better paraphrasing than the long drawn out explanation she was going to give. **"Basically, Naruto, **_**if**_**…your father…lets say…were to use this seal on you, you would look almost exactly like him, and your body would be almost exactly like him, down to the basest functions of your brain and your organs, as well as your chakra. Your mother's traits would be purged from you."** At this, Naruto seemed to have comprehension dawn on him, and nodded his head, a bit too dumbstruck to say anything.

She sighed slightly at his obliviousness, but kept pacing and thinking and reciting her conclusions. "**The problem with impression seals, however, is multi-fold."** She counted off 'one' on her index finger.** "Firstly, since impression seals have to interact with your **_**own**_** DNA, at least at the basest level, the person who used the impression seal, and the receiver of the seal, would have to be the closest of relatives. Father to son, brother to brother, mother to daughter, sister to sister, etc. If the person who used the impression seal is **_**not**_** sufficiently a match with your own DNA, then your own genetic structure will crumble, and..." **

She paused and gave Naruto a grave look...mostly meant to freak Naruto out more than anything.

**"...you will die."**

Naruto's expression paled somewhat at this revelation, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. Again, Kyuubi continued on before any questions could be asked, though, inwardly she was satisfied at his terror.

"**Another problem with the impression seal is that it takes a constant amount of chakra to maintain." **She counted off 'two' on her middle finger.** "This is due to the way the seal actually works. When a cell in the body divides, normally, it is an exact copy of the cell it just divided from. The Impression seal changes that. Whenever a cell divides in your body, the seal uses a small amount of chakra to force the genetic structure of that cell to change to fit the impression. Even though the original divided cell was already impressed, the impression seal cannot, no matter how much chakra you give it, influence the process by which new cells are made. "**

She frowned, as if figuring something out in her rambling of consciousness. **"In essence, the cell will always divide into a genuine and an impressed copy...and the genuine copy will then become impressed, and so on. In this case, the seal is using **_**my**_** chakra to accomplish this." **Kyuubi shook her head.** "The problem stems from the fact that a **_**small**_** amount of chakra from me is a fairly large amount of chakra from you. If the impressed person were to run out of the necessary chakra, the seal would still keep trying to impress, and not only would this put you at risk of chakra exhaustion, but it would also fuck up your genetic structure tremendously, as cells would be being divided, and then only partially impressed, due to lack of chakra."**

Kyuubi gave Naruto a wry smile...who still looked dumbfounded, even more than before. **"You can also imagine placing the impression seal on someone who does not have a large enough chakra reserve to even operate the seal in the first place, such as babies, or civilians with no Shinobi background. It would be genetic pandemonium, not to mention that it completely messes up your chakra control. That is why the Impression Seal was actually able to be used on you. You have a source of almost never-ending chakra inside of you, so the chances of you suffering chakra exhaustion, or of having cells only partially impressed, is next to nil."**

She finally stopped pacing, instead choosing to sit down on the floor, legs crossed. She looked directly into Naruto's ocean blue eyes, seeing only confusion, but...happiness, at least, at having something explained to him. She smiled, but just barely.

"**In older days, the seal was used to bind bloodline limits, or 'Kekkai Genkai' to those children who failed to inherit their family's bloodline limits, and to those parents who gave birth to **_**new**_** bloodlines. The problem with this, is that unless the impression seal is put on someone **_**at birth**_**, that person will invariably…well, almost invariably, die. After a certain age, a person's body is set in its ways, so to speak. Any attempt to change that, and the impression seal will break down the genetic structure more quickly than the new genetic structure can be implemented. The only way that people found this out, was that it never worked to use the aforementioned seal on the aforementioned parents of new bloodlines. In every case, save for one that I can remember, and that was a fluke, the parent died."**

She leaned back and supported herself with her arms, her face mostly impassive. "**As you can imagine, it's near impossible most times to figure out if someone does or does not have a bloodline limit at birth, unless it's a Doujutsu type such as the Byakugan or the Sharingan's trademarked pitch black eyes. As such, parents began impressing children at birth, regardless of if they thought the child had the bloodline limit or not. The problem with **_**that**_** is that an impressed person can not reproduce."**

She waved her hands dismissively, seeing Naruto's semi-creeped out expression.** "I'll spare you the birds and the bees talk; suffice it to say that it simply doesn't work. If you try to **_**un**_**impress someone, so they **_**can**_** properly reproduce, and it turns out that they don't have the bloodline limit naturally, then, well, you're fucked, aren't you?**

Kyuubi almost chuckled at Naruto's weird expression of being completely lost. She continued anyway. **"In this, they also found out the hard way that a male cannot be impressed by a female, and vice versa. This meant that if the bloodline limit came from the female branch of a given family, then only females would be able to be impressed. Same with males. You can imagine the shit that caused."**

After a moment of staring into space, Kyuubi looked back down to see what Naruto's overall mental state was like. She sighed.

He looked as though he had a mix of confusion, understanding, concentration, and thoughtfulness on his face all at the same time. In all reality, it was quite humorous, and the Kyuubi would have let a small giggle spring forth at the look Naruto was giving her, if it weren't so damned exasperating.. Regardless, she figured that she should wrap up the explanation, and just cut to the chase…after all, Naruto wasn't_quite_ smart enough to truly comprehend what she was saying…yet.

She sighed and stood, leaning on the cage. "**Basically, Naruto, the seal was more trouble than it was worth. However, in your case, it was perfect, at least in pure usage. Your father was able to place the impression seal on you, to make you look his spitting image, although, I'm not entirely sure why. Nearest I can tell, your father did not have any bloodline limit, nor did he have anything to pass on to you that you could not have gained through regular means."**

She rather suddenly became serious, and Naruto's attention picked up exponentially, even if he was still completely and totally confused.**"In this case, the impression seal was placed on you just after birth, and considering that you had a multitude of seals placed upon you, the seal had to have been done literally within seconds of the actual seal holding me in, so that it could mesh with all of the other seals, without causing conflicts. Since the only person near you and me when I was sealed was the Yondaime, this means that only he could have done this seal."**

Kyuubi crouched down and looked directly in the eyes. They entranced him, somehow.**"All of this means; the same person who sealed me into you, also gave you your impression seal. Since that person had to have been close family, and male, that leaves the possible relations to a brother, or a father. Seeing as how the Yondaime at the time of sealing was roughly thirty years older than you are, it's safe to assume that the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha is..."**

She looked as serious as he'd ever seen anyone look. **"…your father."**

She stopped her impromptu speech, and was somewhat miffed to see that the expression on Naruto's face was nigh deadpan. She figured that he was simply shocked at the moment, though.

Hell, he had just found out who his biological father was after twelve years, anyone would be shocked speechless by such a revelation.

Naruto, true to the Kyuubi's estimates, sat there for what seemed like hours, shocked...completely stunned. The magnitude of what Kyuubi had said lay heavy on his shoulders, and his mind threatened to shut down.

One thought, though, was running through Naruto's mind at high speed.

_The Yondaime…was my father. I am the son of the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure._

He was absolutely oblivious to Kyuubi who had a slightly concerned look on her face for the blonde container. He didn't even notice himself exiting the Kyuubi's chamber, and blacking out, until unconsciousness claimed him.

The Kyuubi simply sat back and let forth a bellowing chuckle within her cage, before stalking off back into the recesses of it. **"Well, he took that better than I thought. I'll explain the rest of it to him later."** Kyuubi simply let forth another chuckle and got to work on her project. When Naruto woke up, he'd be in for quite the surprise.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

_Naruto was floating. It seemed like it anyway. All around him were cogs and various forms of machinery, churning towards an unknown task that Naruto couldn't quite comprehend._

_One thing drew Naruto's attention. The cogs were beginning to disappear. One by one, the cogs and wheels of the machinery simply crumbled and fell away into nothingness, to be replaced only seconds later by another cog…except…the new cogs looked…they felt…they __**were**__ better than the previous ones. They felt unencumbered somehow, and moved with a more precise rhythm than their predecessors. Slowly, every cog in sight had been replaced by one of the new cogs, and the cacophony of sound that greeted Naruto was deafening, yet comforting. It was a raging tumult of activity, yet it was calm at the same time. It seemed to…work…better than it had before._

_Suddenly, Naruto was transported away from the room of machines, and came upon a different place. He was in the middle of a crystal, it seemed, and the light filtering into it seemed to be…wrong. The frequency was wrong, discordant. Just as suddenly as he came upon the crystal, he heard a cracking sound…and saw part of the crystals imperfect exterior fall away, as so much unused trash. The crystal was being molded, cut, shaped, perfected…sharpened. The frequency slowly became a gentle hum, and the light focused. The crystal became beautiful, even from the inside, and it seemed to exude a blue…red…violet, almost…glow._

_Slowly, he found that the crystal was placed upon a pedestal in the same room that he had been in before. The cogs churned around him at an even more fevered pace, with an even more calming and dulcet rhythm...and the crystal seemed to glow, giving power to these cogs as they never had before. They became one and the same, Crystal with Machine, the red and blue glow seeming to harmonize and flow, becoming as a river and a well might…parallel, yet different._

_Throughout it all, there had been a nagging…pain…almost as if parts of him were breaking free and another was crumbling. The pain had been…necessary…somehow…although he couldn't place the reason. He sat and listened to the hum of the crystal and the sound of meticulous machinery working perfectly within itself. It was comforting. The pain was gone now. He laid back and found himself given to a long and peaceful slumber._

Kyuubi smiled. Mind and body, her chakra, and his chakra…without the seal, they flowed…they congealed. They worked together. And it was wondrous. Kyuubi felt the familiar calm of Naruto's deep slumber, and waited for the young blonde…prodigy…to realize the difference. Today would be a good day. Today would be the first day of the rest of Naruto's…the _real_ Naruto's…long and prosperous life.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Uzumaki Naruto had come to a decision. He hated…despised…absolutely abhorred alarm clocks. They were a bane on all of human existence. Should he ever by some miracle become Hokage, his first official act would be to hold a grand alarm clock bonfire. It would be the greatest day in the history of the leaf.

More than that...had he just used 'abhor' and 'bane' in a sentence?

His sleep-addled brain discarded the notion categorically.

Naruto brought his fist down upon his hapless alarm clock, ending its relatively short life with an unceremonious crunch. Feeling oddly satisfied, he threw off his covers and sat himself upright in his bed.

That's where he noticed it.

Either the bed had gotten shorter, or he'd gotten taller.

It wasn't a tremendous difference, maybe 4 inches in total, but it was enough…especially in one night…his toes unexpectedly met the floor long before he thought they would, not giving him time to anticipate the cold sensation that would permeate his feet soon thereafter. He allowed himself a small shudder, and then opened his eyes for the first time that day.

He had definitely gotten taller. This was evidenced by the fact that the cuffs of his pajama bottoms were now hovering somewhere around the middle of his calves. His pajama top was also unexpectedly short, and constraining. What a bother. He resigned himself to finding some ingenious way to get a new pair of pajamas during the day.

It would truly be…troublesome. Yes, that word fit the situation rather well.

Naruto sat up and went about his normal daily ritual in his room. He had gathered the things he needed for his shower, and stepped into the bathroom, when he saw his reflection in the mirror.

Immediately, he knew something was…_off_…about his appearance. There was simply something that wasn't quite right with it, but his still sluggish brain wasn't quite up to the task of figuring it out...at least, not yet.

Naruto stepped into the shower and performed the various acts that one performs in the shower, noting that certain other…appendages…had grown, along with his unexpected growth spurt last night. He filed that tidbit of information away in a part of his brain that was marked 'do not open until puberty'.

Stepping out of the shower, he quickly dried himself off, and then positioned himself in front of the sink to brush his teeth. He was now more than sufficiently awake to process information about himself, and he stared at his reflection for a good fifteen seconds before he gasped and dropped the toothpaste.

His eyes. By god, his eyes…where once there had been two cerulean orbs, as blue as the ocean, and just as deep…there were now two pitch black, almost pupil-less depths.

Black.

They also seemed to be slightly smaller as well, and…

He noticed other things now, too. His hair. Instead of the incessantly bright golden blonde locks that had once rested as a mop might on a stick…bad analogy…his hair was…darker…bordering on dark yellow, but not quite reaching it. It was certainly darker…and longer…and unruly…

His face had elongated, that much was absolutely certain…it was slight, no more than a few centimeters or so…but he looked…he didn't really know if he could place the look. It was harder, more edged. _Older_.

His whisker marks, which had been there since as long as he could remember, were now even more refined than they were before. They seemed thicker, and instead of simply being black streaks along his cheeks, they were now clefts along his cheeks, extending back and thickening slightly as they reached his jaw line. The whisker marks, along with two slightly longer canine teeth in his mouth, gave him an almost animalistic appearance…like…a…

Naruto became...quite angry. He looked more like a fox.

It wasn't that he didn't like the look…far from it. But he was already fucked over from the villagers every day for being the damned incarnation of_her_…looking even more like a fox probably wouldn't help things.

He forced himself to brush his teeth and perform the other morning rituals that needed doing in the bathroom, and then marched into his room, immediately calling out in his mind...hoping that his tenant could hear him.

'_You fucking fox! What the hell did you do to me?"_ Silence for a moment._ "ANSWER ME!'_

A yawn, almost. '_**Hmm…what…oh…g'morning to you too, sunshine.'**_

He actually growled, something he wasn't aware he could do. '_I'll ask one more time. What did you do to me?'_

Naruto hard her scoff in his mind. '_**Geez, if I would have known you would develop this type of attitude, I would never have done you the favor of removing the impression seal in the first place. Ungrateful cur.'**_

From angry to stunned in a half second. '…_Wait…what?'_

There were a few seconds of silence, and what sounded like an exasperated sigh...he got the distinct impression she had just face palmed. '_**Why do I even try…look, I removed your impression seal. It took some doing, but I managed it. The Impression seal was the only seal directly connected to my chakra without a buffer to prevent me from simply flooding it with my chakra and breaking it. I have a feeling that it was designed that way on purpose, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth."**_

A deep breath._**"Because your seal broke, I was able to successfully reverse its effects. In the time it took you to get a good nights sleep last night…for lack of a better word, I fixed you.'**_

Naruto was at a loss. The evil and horrible…he thought…Kyuubi no Kitsune had done him a favor. A _huge_ favor, it seemed.

In the process of one night, he had grown, his appearance had changed, and he felt…now that he really took time to notice it, he _felt_ better.

He felt better than any day in his life. His thoughts weren't cluttered, his body wasn't nearly as sluggish as it normally was…he could compose sentences with words larger than 'RAMEN!' and, he actually…he felt calm. As calm as he could get, considering the situation anyway.

Naruto was silent for a few moments, as he decided the best course of action. He supposed...when someone did you a favor...you thanked them...but...thanking Kyuubi? It didn't make sense.

He did it anyway. '_I guess…well…thanks. Still…I can understand the physical changes, but…'_

She preened from the fact Naruto had thanked her, but she didn't show it in the slightest. '_**You are undoubtedly wondering why you think more clearly, and you are more calm, eh? It's slight, but it's noticeable, I'm sure. I told you yesterday, the impression seal affects absolutely everything about you. This includes your brain, and therefore your mind. Your thought processes are now…natural…for lack of a better word. This means that you can think more clearly, you can be calmer than you used to be, now that you aren't tremendously chemically imbalanced, and you will probably have a much easier time of retaining knowledge. In essence, you're no longer…dumb."**_ She snorted._** "You're still an idiot though.'**_

For once, he actually sounded thoughtful. Another effect of the seal's absence, she was sure. '_So…I'm…smarter than I was…and I can think more clearly than I could before…" _He stopped and then in a slightly more angry voice, continued. _"...wait, how am I an idiot if everything you just said is true?'_

She sighed again. '_**Simple. You may be smarter, you may be calmer, you may be able to use deductive reasoning and retain knowledge much easier than before, but you still only have the knowledge that you have gained up until now. What you**_** know**_** hasn't changed at all; the only thing that **_**has**_** changed is the fact that you can now, much more easily, remedy that. Well, that and the fact that any information you retained involuntary will now be slightly more accessible. You've probably already caught yourself saying things or thinking things you didn't know you knew, right? Another effect of your brain chemistry being 'reset'.'**_

Naruto mulled over that for a moment. He was smarter...his brain was 'fixed'...things he had known before, but didn't know he knew, were now fully cooperating at being accessed...it was like something had come through and run a scrub brush along his mind. It felt...clean...almost.

He let a small smile...a _true_ smile grace his lips for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

It felt good._Damn_ did it feel good. Soon, before he even realized it, he was chuckling, and then, even laughing.

He was happy. He wasn't short anymore...he looked _better_, at least in his opinion. He was…unencumbered. For the first time in his life, he was completely unencumbered.

He was Naruto. He wasn't his father's impression, nor was he just the container…he was Naruto.

It was then that he remembered something that brought him back down to earth, so to speak.

No one had ever given him anything without expecting something in return...not even the Sandaime. Even if his 'repayments' had been imaginary or promises to be good...or some such things. That...and he remembered...that Kyuubi had talked about making 'deals'...

'…_what do I owe you for this? You said we were making deals…is this one of your 'acts of good faith', or…'_

Kyuubi chuckled slowly, but without any real malice. '_**Heh, see, you're already smarter than you were. What I want is relatively simple. I want **_**OUT**_**.'**_

His expression and demeanor hardened faster than he thought possible. '_No. No fucking way. I may not like this village, but under no circumstances will I _EVER_ relea-'_

Interrupting seemed to be her forte. '_**See, I told you that you were still an idiot. Do you really think that I would think you would release the seal?" **_She scoffed again, and her voice was decidedly condescending. _**"You weren't that stupid before, and you certainly aren't that stupid now." **_She stopped for a moment, before continuing in a far more...defeated...tone._** "Besides…as much as I hate to admit it, the seal is what keeps both of us alive. If you were to release the seal, I would not be set free. I would die...and so would you.'**_

That took him aback. '_What? That doesn't really make any sense...the seal holds you in, it doesn't kill you, and it doesn't…well, I suppose it doesn't _really_ hurt me…'_

She sighed. '_**Remember when I told you that there were a multitude of seals placed on you? The Shiki Fuuin is simply the primary seal; there are probably a good sixty to seventy other seals on you, most of them simply regulating chakra usage." **_Another pause._**"However, there was a…**_**backup**_** seal placed underneath all of them, just in case the Shiki Fuuin was ever broken. If the Shiki Fuuin ever dissipates, either by being released, or by brute force, the secondary seal kicks in, and immediately kills you, using the power of your soul to kill me in the process. In essence, I am stuck in here, until you die. Period.'**_

He paused, and digested the new information. '_I see. So...how are you 'getting out' as it were?'_

Naruto noticed Kyuubi's voice become almost hesitant, but still determined. '_**...did they ever teach you about summoning contracts in the Academy?'**_

He gave what amounted to a mental shrug. '_I remember it in passing…just a little bit though. You sign a contract with 'special' animals, and in turn you get to summon them to you for battle or whatever...something like that.'_

In turn, she mentally 'nodded'. '_**Essentially, yes. You sign a contract with a certain type of animal, ranging from slugs to toads to bears to…well, there are lots of them. One of them is with…well…me. With the Kitsune, more specifically. Considering that I'm the most powerful of the Kitsune, I hold the contract. What I want **_**you**_** to do is quite simple…sign it. By doing so, you'll be able to summon my consciousness from here into either a Kitsune form, or even into human form that I showed you earlier, even though I'll be able to change my form at any time, given the circumstances of course."**_

She immediately felt him tense up.

With an almost impatient note to her voice, she sighed. _**"Note that I said 'consciousness'…not my body. You will be able to regulate exactly how much power I have at any given time.'**_

He relaxed, but only slightly. She figured he needed a full explanation. '_**You remember that collar you saw on my neck when you were your mindscape? This is directly related to that. There is a seal on me that assures that if my consciousness were ever to escape the seal, that it would be directly tied to your own. In essence, it's a collar and a leash, which **_**you**_** hold. I'm only as powerful as you allow me to be, and I only do what you let me." **_After a short pause, her voice took on an annoyed, embarrassed, and decidedly angry tone._** "It's…humiliating…to be subservient to such a…**_**human**_** as yourself, but I don't have a choice, now do I?'**_

There was a decidedly long and pregnant pause, during which Naruto seemed to be thinking rather hard. Kyuubi waited with bated breath.

'_Well...I suppose it's...ok. I...trust you, I guess.'_

It was Kyuubi's turn to be taken aback. '…_**you…you trust me? I'm the Kyuubi no Kitsune...I'm the reason why you're hated and lonely, I've killed tens of thousands in the time I've existed, including your father, and probably your mother…and you trust me? Excuse me...but I find that a tad hard to believe. You're not supposed to trust me...not at all."**_

Another mental shrug...but this time, accompanied by a general sense of seriousness. '_I don't really have a reason not to. You're one of only a handful of people that have ever done something nice for me. I mean...in the course of one night, you've for all intents and purposes, completely made me into a different person, and a person that I think I can like being. You've earned at least a modicum of my trust for that much." _

He paused again...but continued with a more subdued tone._ "Besides, all those...things... you mentioned...up to and including the possible killing of my parents, are completely in the past. I can't change them, just as you cannot escape this seal."_

With a far more exasperated sigh than any he'd ever heaved, he put his head in his hand and rubbed his temples. "_I still do hold a small amount of...resentment, I guess...for the death of my father…but…you're being punished for your crimes already, right? And the fact that you're willing to help me simply solidifies the thought in my mind that you're worthy of…maybe a second chance, I guess.'_

Kyuubi was once again completely taken aback. The fact that Naruto trusted her was…almost unbelievable. The even more shocking fact that he believed her worthy of a _second chance_ was absolutely beyond her realm of rational thought. He knew what she was, he knew what she had done, yet…this one act of kindness that she had given him…

She let a small smile, a true smile, form on her lips. Perhaps living with this boy wasn't going to be such a harsh existence after all.

This was her punishment for her 'crimes', and she, at this very moment, came to accept that. This time, it was _her_ turn to thank _him_.

Her voice was much more...human. '_**Thanks. That…really means a lot to me. I suppose since you trust me, and I trust you…a little…we can work together on making our lives a little bit more livable, eh?'**_

What passed for a ghost of a smile formed on Naruto's lips. '_Sure. As long as you answer me one question.'_

She raised an eyebrow. '_**Uh…ok? What'd you want to know?'**_

Naruto flopped on his bed, staring at the ceiling. '_I've been thinking. My…appearance…it can't all be from the impression seal. Genetics is all well and good, but that doesn't explain why I look more like a _fox_ instead of simply like a different type of_human_." _His voice got a bit frostier._ "You're keeping something from me…and even though I trust you, I want to know what it is.'_

After a small silence, he heard her grumble. '_**Shit…I knew that you getting smarter was going to be a double-edged sword for me…fine. I told you that the whole reason that I was able to break the impression seal on you, was because there was no active buffer between me and the seal, right? I was simply able to flood it with my Chakra, and break it. However…there was a bit of an unintended and unforeseen side effect. While there wasn't a buffer connected to the Impression seal, there **_**was**_** a Suppressing seal connected to it. "**_

She sighed. _**"The suppressing seals…yes, again, seals, plural…are directly connected to my own chakra capacity. There are thirty of them present within the Shiki Fuuin overseal. Each of them holds back exactly 1/30th of my own power from completely intermingling with your own. When the one connected to the impression seal broke, that suppression seal also broke, and gave you your first real taste of my power. Because of this, you were irrevocably changed. You gained certain attributes of mine, and the greater majority of those just happened to be physical manifestations of a **_**fox**_**.'**_

He sounded inordinately surprised. '_So wait…whenever you release these 'suppression' seals, I'll look more like a fox every time?'_

Her voice got harder, as if to dissuade him from getting angry. '_**No. In this case, there is a major difference. My chakra, when intermingled and fused with your own, can only change you so much. Only in cases where I **_**force**_** my chakra into you, or you force it into yourself of your own volition, will your appearance change more towards that of a fox. It's the difference between absorption and transference. This is as far as my own chakra is going to affect you, as long as it's actually **_**your**_** chakra, and not my own.'**_

He tapped his chin. He actually _tapped his chin_, like someone trying to be all intelligent. Kyuubi rolled her eyes.

'_Interesting. I suppose I can live with that." _His voice got happier, and he actually smiled. "_Besides, it makes me more powerful right? And my whisker marks look badass now, not just cute, as I've been told before. That's always a good thing."_

Kyuubi, in his mind, just shook her head in annoyance, but with a small smile.

Naruto continued unabated. _"Anyway…I believe we were discussing the summoning contract. When do you want me to sign it? Or...a better question..._how_ exactly am I supposed to sign it?'_

She mentally shrugged again. '_**Pretty simple. Since I'm the direct holder of the Kitsune contract, you simply come into your mindscape, and you sign it. Easy as that."**_ A pause. Then a short chuckle._** "But, right now, we don't have time for that. We've used enough time talking here…next time, remind me to use the mindscape for our little conversations, they're going to get long and tedious otherwise.'**_

On an impulse, he looked at the clock...and went wide eyed. '_Shit! It's almost eight! I have to be at the academy in like...fifteen minutes! Damn it!'_

Naruto broke off contact with the vixen, and hurriedly went to fish his attire out of his pile of clean clothing.

With a groan after a moment, he realized that his normal orange attire was _not_ going to fit him. It was already almost too short for him as it was, and with this newest growth spurt…it would be like putting on a damned clown outfit. Not that it didn't look that way already, but…

He threw open his drawers and closet, desperately looking for something, anything that would fit him. After a few minutes of searching, he finally came upon it. It was a gift from Sandaime-ojii, almost 2 years ago. At the time, Naruto had truly questioned the Hokage's sanity; however the Hokage had simply told him at the time, "You'll grow into it!" and then had laughed for a while before buying Naruto ramen…making him conveniently forget all about it. Naruto was now thanking his grandfather figure profusely in his head.

It was a pretty simple outfit, just a maroon tank top combined with black cargo shorts. Naruto quickly put them on, along with his forehead protector and shoes, which thankfully, still fit…mostly…and stared at himself in the mirror.

The shorts and the shoes fit. As did the forehead protector…however the tank top was so damned tight that it became form-fitting. Naruto sighed. It was the only thing he had at the moment, so it'd have to do. He quickly grabbed an energy bar (contrary to popular thinking, Naruto has things other than ramen in his cupboards) and shoved it successfully down his gullet before he burst out the door.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Oh, this morning was starting out just _wonderfully_.

First, her favorite outfit had been in the wash, so she had to wear her _second_ favorite outfit to one of the most important days in her Shinobi career, and then, by some fluke, she had managed to meet up with Ino-pig on the way to the academy. Couple that with the fact that her outfit was now getting scuffed up due to the unofficial race that she was having with the pig and her morning was turning out just_perfectly_.

Haruno Sakura had dreamed of this day since she was a little girl. The day that she would finally become a bon-a-fide Genin, and by doing so, win over Sasuke-kun. It was supposed to be a day without the interference of Ino-pig, and a day without having to wear anything less than her best. She had worn her best makeup, and even used her most advanced combing technique to hide at least some of her huge forehead. She sighed internally. She supposed that fairy tales simply weren't meant to be.

But of course, she would still win over her Sasuke-kun.

She was now neck-and-neck with Ino, and almost running towards the academy. They came upon an intersection, and for just a split second, in true anime style, time seemed to slow for just a moment as a red and black blur made its way into their field of vision.

He was tall for his assumed age…easily taller than Sasuke by at least a few inches. His darkened, shaggy yellow-blonde hair flowed in an almost fur-like way as he ran at a breakneck pace, and his face held a pseudo-mature and animalistic look that they noticed was bringing many forms of blushes out on women adjacent to them on the street, along with a fair share of smirks and outright glares from the male population.

The tank top on his upper body was obviously too small for him, but it showed off his lithe, muscular features and his bronze, tanned arms in all their male glory. In a word, that was just what he was…masculine…the very picture of the word. And he was _hot_, if Inner Sakura had anything to say about it.

But one thing stood out above all other things as a defining feature about the blonde Adonis that was before them. He had 3 dark, fox-like whisker marks running along each cheek, which served to only heighten his animalistic and masculine appearance. And only one person that Ino and Sakura knew had those whisker marks.

Again, in true anime fashion, time seemed to return to normal just as the red and black clothed boy bounded off towards his unknown destination, leaving a stunned and slightly blushing Ino and Sakura behind. Both had already stopped in the middle of the intersection and were staring in the direction that the muscular boy had vanished in, both wondering the same thing, as they resumed their trek.

_Was that__**Naruto**_

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The feeling was unreal…absolutely unreal. His body was a finely tuned machine, it moved with precision and purpose, his muscles coiling and uncoiling, releasing more force than he had ever been able to coax out of them before. His chakra was flowing without hindrance, and his mind was going one hundred miles a second, but it wasn't simply floating from subject to subject…it was focused, crisp, precise…

Unreal.

The new and improved Uzumaki Naruto bounded from rooftop to rooftop, utterly oblivious to the stares of both hatred and admiration that he was receiving along the way, even from his supposed crush, Haruno Sakura. Nothing could bring him down from this natural high. For the first time in his life, he felt as though he was _real_…as though his mind and his body were actually obeying him, as though he was truly a _Shinobi_. He was able to move more easily, think more clearly, and he felt _alive_. It was a wonderful feeling, absolutely wonderful.

Naruto had made record time to the academy, beating his previous record easily. From his home to the academy grounds, it took him only 5 minutes at a hard pace to reach his destination. He had never been able to make it from his apartment to the academy in anything less than 10 minutes before, and he found himself with a full 10 minutes to spare before class began. He landed deftly on the edge of the academy grounds, and began a leisurely pace towards the academy itself.

By the time he had reached the classroom, he had become slightly unnerved by the stares he was getting, and wondering if perhaps it might have been a good idea to cover up his face somehow before he came here. Naruto cursed slightly under his breath. He would have to see if he couldn't get himself some sort of facemask or something before the day was over…he was internally glad that the stares weren't of hatred or derision, but they were stares nonetheless, and Naruto had an understandable aversion to them.

Naruto walked into the class room with his hands in his pockets and his face down, hoping to somehow hide his face from prying eyes, and as silently as he could, he made his way to his favorite seat in the room, which coincidentally, was only one seat away from Sasuke. Silently cheering whatever deity was looking out for him that day, his little attempt at hiding his face seemed to have worked…and while he was still receiving stares from some in the class due to his form of dress and obvious growth spurt, he was sure that they were just passing glances at best.

That was, until a certain hidden genius decided to engage him in conversation.

"Oi, Naruto, this meeting is only for those that passed the Genin exam…you're not supposed to be here." From a passing glance, Shikamaru looked as though his expression was more confused than arrogant or derisive. Instead of actually responding, Naruto simply raised his head up slightly and pointed at the forehead protector, silently praying that it didn't give Shikamaru a good enough view of his face to actually cause him to actually comment on it.

The deity that had been watching over him that day, at that moment, apparently chose to forsake him.

"Na…Naruto…what the hell happened to your face…and your eyes…what the hell?"

At that one comment, most of the conversation in the room stopped.

He cursed under his breath.

"I…uh…" He put his head back down. "…had a growth spurt…" Naruto silently cursed again…there was another change. He hadn't noticed it when he was talking to the Kyuubi, but his voice had gotten slightly deeper as well. Great. Just fucking great. Naruto decided to simply get rid of the situation as best as he could at this point, salvaging a bad situation.

He sighed. "Nothing, really. It's just a…situation." Naruto hoped against all hope that the pineapple-headed genius would simply drop it.

After a few seconds of Shikamaru silently staring at the blonde anomaly in front of him, he simply shrugged, muttered something close to 'troublesome', and walked away. Naruto released a breath that he didn't even know he was holding in, noticing that the room had seemed to resume their own conversations again, but this time, they seemed to revolve around Naruto somehow.

"Hey, did you see Naruto's face? He looks so much older, and even cute!"

"Yeah, and his eyes looked like they were black, too! I hate to say it, but he might even be hot!"

"Naruto, hot?...well, I suppose he does look better…I'll just go over and say hi real quick…"

"He may be hotter now, but you still don't want to be seen around him!"

Naruto slightly scoffed at that last comment he had overheard, it serving its purpose to bring him down to earth. It reminded him of exactly who he was. He might have changed into a completely different person overnight, but he was still Uzumaki Naruto, the shunned mistake of Konoha.

He sighed. He supposed that at this point, it may be both a blessing and a curse.

Naruto buried his face in his arms deeper, now resting on his desk, and tried to make like he was trying to sleep. He was known for sleeping through class, so he hoped that it would buy him some time until Iruka got here, and then all of the attention would be _off_ of him, and he could stop sweating about his current situation so much. Luckily for him, it seemed to work.

As if the gods heard Naruto's plea for a distraction, Sakura and Ino burst in the door in their typical loud fashion.

"Ha! Take that Ino-Pig! I got here first!"

"Fat chance, Forehead-chan! My foot was obviously ahead of yours! I get to sit with Sasuke-kun!"

"Like hell, pig! I'm going to sit with Sasuke-kun!"

"Neither of you will, _**I**_ am going to sit with Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto almost groaned. It was like this almost every morning. Sakura and Ino would burst into the classroom, both arguing about who would be the one to sit with the raven haired target of all women's affection, and then that would get the rest of the fan club riled up and soon almost all of the girls in the room would be at each other's neck, trying to vie for the precious seat right next to Sasuke's. It was something that most of the guys in the room had gotten horribly used to, and by now, were able to completely tune out.

Eventually, Sakura won the little shouting contest, and marched over to where Naruto was sitting. He was sitting with a seat in between himself and Sasuke, but he was _sure_ that it didn't matter. They had gone through this little ritual hundreds of times…Sakura would force Naruto out of his seat for no real reason, and then take the seat that was open in the first place, leaving Naruto have the seat that he used to be in. It was a pointless little dance, and Naruto had gotten used to it. However…he didn't exactly feel as charitable this morning as he did on most mornings.

Which surprised him to no end. Just yesterday, he had been thinking of asking Sakura out on a date again…hell, he had even talked to Ayame about it in passing.

Surely, this whole thing couldn't have changed his entire outlook on _life_, right? His entire _existence_ revolved around Sakura to a certain extent…and now…

He just…didn't feel it. That familiar feeling deep in his gut that always formed when he thought about or saw Sakura…was just…_not there_.

Fucking _weird_.

Deciding to figure out the new intricacies of his mind later, he sighed. He didn't wanna deal with this shit so early in the morning.

He made a dismissive wave with one of his hands, still somewhat under his head. Without intending to, he growled. "Sakura, take the seat, and leave me be…I'm not in the mood this morning."

Naruto heard Sakura emit a slight gasp at both Naruto's tone and what he had said. In fact, everyone within hearing distance was shocked speechless. It was no real secret that Naruto had a crush of epic proportions on the pink haired Genin, and to hear him talk to her in such a manner was unheard of. Even if it was polite and mostly non-abrasive…he usually fawned over her like a puppy. Hell, he hadn't even added the '-chan' suffix.

Sakura was about to respond with some kind of snarling retort, but she had a flash of the blonde haired boy running past her on the street. The way his hair had flowed, his body, his face…if she was _anything_, she was smart. Being in between both Sasuke-kun and the somehow miraculously changed Naruto would give her the ability to not only dote on her Sasuke-kun, but also to find out exactly what was up with Naruto. After all, if he really was as hot as he had looked out there, then maybe she could set him up with Ino or something to get her mind off of _her_ Sasuke-kun.

One track mind.

When Naruto heard no response from Sakura, he raised his head ever so slightly to find, to his never-ending surprise, that Sakura had done exactly what he asked of her. Naruto mulled on this for a moment.

Perhaps it was better to be feared than loved. His previous attempts to win her over were fruitless…and he had been as sweet as honey.

Just one application of moderately-applied gruff and force had kowtowed her.

It wasn't necessarily fear…but…

Girls were fucking _weird_.

He stored that particular piece of contemplative inner monologue away and spared a glance at the pink haired girl to his left. He saw her glance in his direction, and it looked as though she was just about to open her mouth to ask a question, when the all-too-familiar presence of Iruka burst into the room.

"**EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!!"**

This of course, got exactly the response Iruka wanted. When Iruka used that particular tone, he meant business, and the kids in his classes just somehow _knew_ not to fuck around. Naruto got an almost imperceptible smirk on his face. Iruka may be soft spoken most of the time, but when he got pissed off, watch out.

The Chuunin set his small bundle of class materials down on his podium and surveyed his students. "Better. Now, if you're here, that means that you've passed the Genin exam. Congratulations. You've just begun your foray into the world of being a Shinobi, and things are only going to get harder from here."

Naruto tuned Iruka out for a few minutes, just barely hearing him give some sort of speech on responsibilities and hardships that they would now be enduring for the 'good of Konoha' or some such thing. Naruto smirked to himself for a moment. The thought of him doing something for the 'good of Konoha' was almost laughable at this point. He allowed himself to drift off slightly, but he immediately perked up at the mention of team assignments.

They went through a few teams, skipping over a few numbers, because those teams already existed, until Naruto heard his name called. "Team 7! Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura…"

At this, everyone in the room expected Naruto jump for joy, and Sakura to groan in disappointment. However everyone was shocked, even Iruka, at hearing Naruto curse not-so-quietly, and at seeing Sakura blush and look at Naruto fleetingly.

Before any meaningful gossip about the coming apocalypse could start, the third member of the team was called. "…and Uchiha Sasuke."

A sense of normalcy reigned in the room once again, at seeing Sakura jump for joy, and Naruto curse even louder.

Naruto may have thought Sasuke was an ok person, but it didn't change the fact that he was a stuck up, arrogant bastard. Being forced to be on the same team as him was going to be…troublesome. Really, _really_ troublesome.

Kami, he was turning into Shikamaru…

After a few more minutes of incessant drawling done by Iruka, people began to filter out of the classroom for a lunch break. Naruto took this as the perfect opportunity to disappear for a while. After quite a few people had left, he made a slight jog for a window, and just as he was preparing to jump out the window, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He should have figured. Iruka _would_ want to talk to him, wouldn't he? Of all the times for Iruka to be a mother hen…

"Naruto…I noticed that you're not exactly yourself today? Is there anything you need to talk about?" The Chuunin became somewhat meeker, but mostly just dropped the level of his voice. "I mean, with what happened last night and all…" Iruka seemed to trail off slightly, trying not to mention too much in a public environment.

Naruto sighed slightly. If anything, Iruka was consistent. He supposed that it wouldn't hurt to tell Iruka what had happened in the time betwixt last night and now…after all, Iruka was almost a brother…father…something like that, to the blond haired boy.

He sighed and hung his head slightly. "Iruka-sensei…there's a reason that I'm not exactly 'myself' today. Or I guess you could say that I'm more of myself than I was even yesterday…." Naruto seemed to grumble at his apparent lack of ability to explain his situation. He needed to take this elsewhere.

"Do you have someplace we could talk for a bit?" Naruto resisted the urge to turn around and show Iruka his face…it wouldn't do to have Iruka freak out in the classroom.

"Does it have to do with…?" Iruka's voice took on a positively chilly tone. "…him?" Iruka gave Naruto a concerned glance, and Naruto simply nodded the affirmative.

Iruka's eyes widened slightly before calming down. It wouldn't do for him to freak out when his student was depending on him. "Yeah…sure Naruto, come with me. We can go to my office." With that, Iruka turned around and led Naruto to his 'office', which was really no bigger than a large broom closet…but Naruto supposed that it was about as private as he was going to get at the moment.

When Naruto got there, Iruka did a quick Jutsu that Naruto recognized as a privacy Jutsu.

He _really_ needed to learn that one.

Deciding to get it over with, with a sigh, Naruto brought up his head to face Iruka…and just as expected, Iruka gasped and began throwing a bevy of questions at him.

"Naruto? What happened? Your eyes, your whisker marks…your face…what exactly happened?" The Chuunin's eyes narrowed. "What did the Kyuubi do? Do we need to go see the Sandaime? If it was a villager, I'll—"

He'd been in this situation before. Iruka being too overprotective of him, and almost panicking at something. "Iruka-sensei! Calm down for a sec, I'll explain everything…" He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "…yes, the Kyuubi did something. Yes, I should probably go see the Sandaime at some point…no, the villagers haven't done anything…today…" Naruto grumbled again and rubbed the bridge of his nose harder. "This may take a while Iruka-sensei, so I suggest you get comfortable."

With that, Naruto launched into an abbreviated version of exactly what had happened last night, carefully omitting anything about knowing who his father was, or anything about what exactly he was giving the Kyuubi in exchange for all of this. He also made sure to be as vague as possible, considering his surroundings.

The explanation lasted a good 15 minutes, and by the end, Iruka was dumbfounded, or at least, it looked like it. Naruto sat there, in silence, for a few more minutes before Iruka seemed to actually realize exactly what had been said, and lowered his eyes slightly, as if in deep thought.

"Naruto…let me see if I've got this straight. You talked with the Kyuubi, and he…" The Chuunin corrected himself with a flinch of exasperation. "…she…said that you had some kind of weird seal placed on you at birth that messed with your genetic structure…so for some reason, she took it off of you…and you woke up like this.…damn." Iruka seemed to imitate Naruto's gesture, rubbing the bridge of his nose with vigor. "This is a lot to take in…"

The blonde haired Genin was somewhat amused that Iruka could summarize the life changing events in his life so well. "Yeah, that's the basic gist of it. It's a bit more complicated than that, but…yeah; it kind of floored me too. I mean, I go to bed, I talk with a giant fox, and somehow, in the morning, I'm completely different than what I was before. Shit, the last two days of my life have been some of the most eventful in my entire existence!" Naruto chuckled slightly and put one arm on the back of his neck, in typical Naruto fashion. Iruka smiled. It seemed as though the old Naruto was still there, at least in his mannerisms.

Iruka became serious again. "You know, Naruto…you're really going to have to talk to the Sandaime after you meet your sensei. He's definitely going to want to know more about this." Iruka's eyes shined of concern for his blonde charge, but he also had a duty to the village, and this definitely qualified under that heading.

Naruto sighed and gave an almost resigned nod of his head. "I know…and to be honest, Iruka-sensei, I kind of left a few things out about all of this…I don't really want to say _anything_ about a few things that happened last night, unless I'm in the Hokage tower." Seeing the more questioning than hurt expression on his most precious person's face, he flinched and waved his hand in dismissal. "I trust your privacy Jutsu, but I don't want to take any chances, otherwise, you'd know everything I do."

Iruka smiled. It was good to know that his honorary brother…son…whatever he was, still trusted him so much. "Of course, Naruto. I take it that means you want me to come with you when you talk with the Hokage?" Iruka had learned through the years to pick up the silent cue's that Naruto gave him, and right now, Naruto was definitely showing that he was insecure about the whole situation.

Naruto smiled almost imperceptibly at Iruka's ability to read him. "Yeah…if you don't mind, that is." Naruto hoped that Iruka didn't have some Chuunin meeting or teachers meeting that he had to go to, otherwise he would have to put his meeting with the Sandaime off for a few hours.

Iruka got a slight pensive look on his face, before returning his look to one of concern. "Well, I was supposed to have a teachers meeting right after this, but I think this _definitely_ takes precedence, don't you?" Iruka smiled at Naruto, with Naruto smiling right back. Naruto knew that he could count on Iruka in times like this.

Before Naruto could thank him though, Iruka seemed to notice the time, and his smile transformed into a slightly harried frown. "Damn…it's time to head back to class Naruto. After you're done meeting with your Sensei, come find me, and we can go talk to the Sandaime." Iruka gave a reassuring smile to Naruto, and Naruto nodded at Iruka before they both silently made their way back to the classroom.

Unfortunately for Naruto, he completely forgot to keep his head down. The second that he walked into the classroom, most conversation stopped.

Naruto smacked himself mentally for forgetting something so important. He noticed that most of the guys in the room had looks on their faces that were about as close to jealousy as you can get. The girls however…most of them were blushing profusely. Hinata even fainted. Naruto contemplated his reaction for a moment, before deciding to throw caution to the wind.

He bared his fangs at the class, causing everyone to recoil slightly in shock. Allowing himself a small smile smile, he made his way to his seat. Perhaps he was right. Being feared practically trounced being loved, for the most part anyway. He sat down, and crossed his arms over his chest, as if daring anyone to come near him.

Not surprisingly, no one did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto had been sitting in this same seat for the better part of an hour. Everyone except for those in team 7 had already left the room, including Iruka. It seemed as though he'd be able to make that teachers meeting after all.

The last hour had been spent in complete silence. Sasuke was staring out the window, no doubt plotting something nefarious…Sakura was doting on the raven haired head case, but Naruto noticed that she sent him a look every now and again, obviously trying to scope him out for whatever reason. It was getting to be a _tad_ bit irritating. He decided to simply get it over with.

"Oi, Sakura…why in the hell do you keep glancing at me?" He sent a small amount of…something…in his glare, and was satisfied when Sakura flinched. In all the time that Naruto had 'known' Sakura, she had never thrown furtive glances his way, much less while blushing. He was finding that he didn't much like it, at least, not now. It felt…wrong.

The girl flustered. "Oh! Uh…I was just…it was…nothing…really!" Inner Sakura was saying something completely different, of course, but no one needed to know _that_.

Naruto sighed. He was really, _really_ confused and perturbed now. Sakura had never talked to him with so many pauses and stutters…it was like she was turning into a Hinata or something. To be blunt, it was getting on his fucking nerves. He could stand it from Hinata, just because she made it cute, but from Sakura, it was annoying as hell. Nevertheless, he let it drop. Sakura was fawning over Sasuke again, and Naruto simply didn't want to care anymore.

Instead he delved into his 'link'. '_Oi, fox…it looks like we have some time to kill. Why don't I come in and sign that contract real quick?'_

He didn't get a response for a few seconds…he figured that the Kyuubi was dozing off. Eventually, he heard a grunt that signified agreement from the red haired vixen, and found himself drifting into the familiar confines of his mind.

When he got there, Kyuubi looked decidedly groggy. He smirked. "I never took you to be the napping type, Kyuubi."

Kyuubi was stretching in her human form behind the bars, giving Naruto a sleepy look that looked absolutely _adorable_ on her face. Naruto slapped himself mentally. The Kyuubi was _not_ adorable.

The well-developed thirteen-year-old looking kitsune sent him a glare. "**I don't have much to do in this accursed place **_**except**_** for nap."**

Naruto's smirk grew. "Fair enough." He put his hands in his pockets and put on a very nonchalant attitude. "Whatever, where's that contract you want me to sign?"

He saw the Kyuubi march back into the confines of her cage, and when she came back out, she was holding a large scroll, which she unceremoniously tossed to Naruto outside of the cage.

"**Here. Unfurl it, find the first open space, and then sign it in your blood. And save the questions as to 'how do I have blood in my mind?'…suffice it that you **_**do**_**, and leave it at that."** Naruto almost smirked again at Kyuubi's last comment, but he did exactly as she asked, and passed the scroll back to the vixen.

After Naruto got done sucking on his thumb for a moment, getting the bleeding to stop for long enough that it completely healed, he turned his attention back to Kyuubi, who was giving him a…strange look. He decided not to think much on it.

"Right then…so how's about giving me a rundown of what exactly that means, other than you getting your own bit of freedom?" Naruto was genuinely curious about what exactly he could do with the contract, aside from summoning Kyuubi.

She just shrugged and yawned. "**As far as I know, it's fairly simple. You do some of your arcane hand signs, offer up a small sacrifice of blood and chakra, before then performing the 'Kuchiyose no Jutsu' to summon either myself, or those of my kinfolk. Depending on the amount of Chakra that you use for the summon, you'll get anything between a freshly born kit, and a fearsome 8 tail fox to aid you in battle, or to do whatever it is that you need them to do." **

She gave him a pointed look.** "To summon **_**me**_**, all you need to do…as far as I know…is to simply think of me when you attempt the Kuchiyose. Because I'm already **_**on**_** this astral plane, summoning me only requires that you have enough chakra to communicate with me, no more, no less."**

Naruto was slightly miffed. He thought it was something a bit more grandiose than simply hand signs, blood and chakra. He was also miffed by the fact that Kyuubi had said 'as far as I know'…how on earth did the 'great' Kyuubi no Kitsune _not_ know how this worked?

He decided to call her on it. "Right…that makes sense. Why did you say, 'as far as I know', though? Don't you know how the Jutsu works?"

Kyuubi looked almost sheepish for a few seconds before replying. **"I've never really had a need to learn any of your human Jutsu. Hell, I've never even used this summoning contract before…I only know the details of the Jutsu used for summon because I had it explained to me once." **She waved one of her delicate, white hands.** "Remember, I'm a fifty story tall nine tailed fox…if I need to fight, I don't need to use your pathetic human Jutsu, all I need to do is use one of my tails, or my massive chakra stores. **She gave him another pointed, if slightly less intense look. "**For this whole thing to work, you're going to have to find someone who knows the hand seals of the Kuchiyose, as I never took time to learn anything about your human hand seals."**

Naruto let this sink in for a minute before getting an almost morose look on his face. "So…that means that you won't be able to teach me anything? Shit."

He was genuinely disappointed at that. Not only was he hoping that the Kyuubi had some 'kick ass' Jutsu that he would be able to learn, but it meant that the Kyuubi would have no real need of him anymore, other than as a jailor. Naruto didn't _like_ the fox, of course…who'd like _her_...but she was still company, and one of the few real friends that he had.

He was using a rather loose definition of friend.

Kyuubi, on the other hand, was snickering behind her hand at the blonde Jinchuuriki. It turned into a full blown laughter, and Naruto was looking at her with a mix of confusion and irritation. Before Naruto could berate her on something though, Kyuubi dispelled his fears.

She leaned on the bars, pressing her considerable breasts into the gaps, giving him a rather…interesting…view. "**On the contrary. I may not know your human Jutsu, but what I **_**do**_** know is so much more valuable." **She laughed almost conspiratorially. ** "I'll save you my life's story, but suffice it to say that I've traveled this world hundreds of times over in my lifetime, and I've learned quite a bit."**

As usual when she was giving a lecture of some sort, at least, he thought it was 'usual'…she began pacing again. **"For example, a few hundred years ago, I learned a sword style that I fully intend to teach you. I also learned about human biology, anatomy, and chemistry, and due to the fact that I have almost unlimited chakra, I know more about chakra control, manipulation, and raw usage than almost anyone on the planet. I'll be able to teach you **_**plenty**_**, kid…the **_**only**_** thing I **_**won't**_** be teaching you are your human Jutsu."**

Her expression and voice softened. **"Remember…we told each other that we would work to make our lives better, and I fully intend on doing just that."**

Naruto just stared at the Kyuubi for a few moments.

…before a face-splitting grin made its way onto his face.

If anyone had told Uzumaki Naruto even 2 days ago, that he would be learning Biology, Anatomy and Chemistry, he would have given them a sour face and told them off with some choice expletives. _Now_, however, he was ecstatic. The possibilities were nigh endless. With what little he actually knew about them, he could only imagine what he could accomplish. Poisons, explosives, medical techniques…all would be at his fingertips. The prospect of it all was enough to make Naruto giddy.

He jumped up to the cage and put his hands on the bars, getting in Kyuubi's face. She took a few steps back, startled. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you! Just think! Poisons, explosive mixtures, and the ability to kill so much more easily…a wish come true!" Naruto cackled gleefully for a moment, even going so far as to dance around in excitement…before realizing exactly what he had said.

He had never killed before in his life, however the prospect thereof was quickly becoming somewhat…_anticipatory_, to say the least. Before Naruto could voice his unasked question, the Kyuubi, as always, decided to answer it before he vocalized.

Righting herself from her momentary sudden surprise, she gave him a smirk. "**You're wondering why it is that the prospect of killing entices you so, eh? I told you that a suppression seal was torn asunder when I broke your impression seal, allowing some of my chakra to mingle with your own without any sort of hindrance. This is the basis of at least **_**some**_** of your changes, both mentally and physically. Your growth spurt, as well as a slightly more **_**primal**_** mindset is just one of the many perks of having ultra-potent chakra such as mine mix with your own."**

She sauntered up to the bars again, leaning on them…again…with her breasts pressed through the gaps. **"In short, you became more bestial than you were before, and this includes a higher sense of blood**_**lust**_**. This not only carries into battle, but into…"** She glanced downwards for a moment, before smiling and looking back up. **"…other…facets of your life as well. I don't think you'll really care about **_**that**_**, however, until you reach a few years older than you are now."**

Naruto allowed himself a slight pause to let that bit of data soak in. He had become_bestial_. Indeed, he might come to like this little change in himself. The ability to lose the regular human inhibitions in battle could be quite convenient.

He filed the last bit of data that Kyuubi had given him into the 'do not open until puberty' file within his own mind…even though he had a good idea what exactly the Kyuubi meant.

More questions bubbled to the surface about their little agreement however, and he decided to get some answers. "This is all well and good…but there are a few things here that don't make sense in the slightest. If you don't know any human Jutsu, why is it that you know so much about seals? Furthermore, why is it that you know a sword style, when you have absolutely no need for it? Quite a bit of what you are saying is contradicting yourself." Naruto gave the Kyuubi a thoughtful look, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Said fox chuckled slightly, and gave a dismissive gesture with her arms. **"I know about seals, because I have studied them in great length. I said that I never had use for your human Jutsu, and seals are not really**_**Jutsu**_** in the simplest sense of the word. Seals are used extensively, both by humans, and by those where I come from. They're the lifeblood of planar travel, and also the medium of some of the most powerful chakra-enhanced blood rituals ever performed. As for the sword style…"**

Kyuubi trailed off for a moment, getting a faraway look in her eyes, before she seemed to take on an almost nostalgic look. **"A few hundred years ago, I met a rather…interesting…human. He had ideas and knowledge that were far ahead of his own time, and because of it, he was treated as an outcast. In order to spend more time with him, I agreed to learn his particular sword style."**

She seemed thoughtful for a second more, as if wondering how to proceed, and then she spoke once again. **"His…style…if you can call it that, is one of the most ingenious and enlightened styles of deadly movement that I have ever seen. It is known simply as 'Ryuudou', or 'The Flow'. The thing that differentiates this particular style from all others is the fact that instead of having to memorize hundreds of complex and utterly useless kata, one simply learns how to **_**move**_**. The basis of this style revolves around the user becoming the very **_**essence**_** of water."** Kyuubi took in Naruto's pensive look and noticed that he was absorbing this information as though his life depended on it. She smiled. He would indeed be a good student to teach.

She went into 'lecture' mode again. "**The **_**nature**_** of water, in and of itself, is the most versatile nature that any one element has. It can both create, and destroy. It can move silently and under the surface, or devastatingly, and with no regard for its surroundings. It can be as deep and unseen as an aquifer, or as obvious and torrential as rapids. It can flow around an object, wearing it down to nothing in a period of hundreds of years, or it can crash upon that object, and obliterate it within seconds. It is a contradiction unto itself, and yet it is the very basis for both life and death of any one living being upon this plane of existence."**

Kyuubi noticed that Naruto was now even more entranced than he was before, and that he had an almost unquenchable _eagerness_ in his eyes that was simply waiting to be unleashed. Kyuubi smiled even wider. The kid had no idea what he was in for. "**The way that this translates into a fighting style is absolutely ingenious. The user of Ryuudou **_**becomes**_** that very nature. He flows around his opponents, wearing them down, while at the same time, crashing into them with strong, purposeful strikes that kill without warning and with absolute finality. He flows beneath the surface, waiting for the moment in which to spring upon his opponent, and, as the rapids, demolish them. He can become as a tsunami to his opponents, just as easily as he can be a freshwater well to his friends. In short, Ryuudou is the absolute**_**essence**_** of both life and death…you protect those who wish to peaceably drink from your well, by destroying those who wish to hurt them."**

She crossed her arms across her chest.** "This is the style, Naruto, that I will be teaching you, and it will take you **_**years**_** to master…however, even a novice in 'The Flow' is still a force not to be underestimated on the battlefield."**

Kyuubi watched as Naruto almost _shook_ from anticipation. She allowed herself a wide, mischievous grin, and waited for him to finally break the silence.

Naruto was doing mental back flips. He may have been calmer than he was before, but the prospect of being trained in this seemingly rare and absolutely incredible sword style brought back a small amount of the giddy youth that he used to be. He allowed himself a rare smile…a _real_ smile. He would be learning anatomy…biology…chemistry…and a sword style that no one else knew. It was simply too much to put into words. But he tried anyway.

"Kyuubi…that's…_fucking awesome_. If it weren't for the fact that we're stuck in this god forsaken classroom waiting for our sensei, I'd rush outside right now and start practicing. Thank you! Seriously…thank you."

Naruto did something that he hadn't done for a long time. He _bowed_. He bowed in thanks, and in respect for his new sensei, his _real_ sensei. It was shallow, but…still more than he was used to doing, ever.

Said sensei just waved her hand dismissively, trying to seem haughty, but failing miserably, looking more embarrassed than anything. "**Oi, stand up, damn it…you're embarrassing me."** Seeing him keep his bow, she sighed and flicked his forehead with her finger. He rubbed his forehead, but rose up, giving her a nasty glare.

"Why'd you flick my forehead?"

Kyuubi huffed indignantly. "**Because you were being stupid!"**

Naruto pouted. "Was not…"

The fox smirked slightly**. "Yes…you **_**were**_**."** She huffed again in exasperation.** "Damned brat…anyway, you're not getting all of this for free, you know! I'm adding another stipulation to our little…deal…"** At this, Kyuubi seemed to cackle gleefully, before Naruto shot her a look that clearly said 'you've gone crazy, haven't you?'

She quickly cleared her throat and regained her composure, readying herself to tell Naruto what her 'term' was.

"**In exchange for teaching you all of this…I want you to…"** She almost looked abashed for a second, before becoming…mostly serious.

"**I want you to change the look inside of this dreary cell."**

Before he could ask the obvious question, Kyuubi cut in.

"**No doubt, you're wondering just **_**how**_** to change my cage. It's rather simple. The inside of this cage is as much an impression as you were just a few days ago. Meaning, the cage looks this way because it was **_**made**_** to look this way. Only **_**you**_** have the ability to change what it looks like. Right now, it looks like a god damned sewer, and I do **_**not**_** like living in a sewer. Catch my drift?"** Naruto nodded towards the Kyuubi, with a true look of understanding on his face. They at least had that much in common. Naruto absolutely hated where he lived, and the Kyuubi didn't much like where she lived either.

Naruto, though, could change that.

Before Kyuubi could even give him instructions on just _how_ to change her abode…he simply _did_. The cage and sewer structure melted away, revealing a completely white and blank canvas with which to work. Kyuubi looked at the blonde Jinchuuriki, stunned that he somehow instinctively _knew_ how to change the structure of her cell. His face was a mask of concentration, and before she knew it, she was in a completely different environment, much more inviting than her previous one.

It was a medium sized room, much smaller than her previous cell, lined on either side with kanji that Kyuubi immediately recognized as being the same writing on her collar. The walls seemed to be made of a deep mahogany, and the room itself was dimly lit with what seemed to be candelabras. A roaring fireplace on the far side of the room was flanked diagonally on either side by two matching recliners made out of what looked to be fine leather and goose down. In the middle of the room, a queen sized bed sat, only a foot above the floor, but with a cushion made out of what looked to be even more goose down. An empty book case sat directly parallel the fireplace on the other side of the room, and there was a surreptitiously placed door perpendicular to the bed, leading to places unknown.

Kyuubi was gape-jawed at the transformation. It looked to be an incredible imitation of a western style study room…and it was beautiful. It was inviting, warm, cozy, and most of all, it lacked all the impersonal elements that the sewer held. Naruto was standing near the door, a look of almost exhaustion on his visage, before he gave a wide, almost eclipsing grin and scratched the back of his head. Kyuubi simply stared at him, stunned, before allowing herself to do something that she wouldn't have done if she had given it any thought.

She hugged Naruto. She simply hugged him. After almost thirteen years of living in a damn, dank, dark sewer, she now finally had the closest thing she had _ever_ had to a home. Before Naruto knew what _he_ was doing, he had returned the embrace, both enjoying the company. Naruto had been an outcast, an absolute _nothing_ for 12 years, and now that he had at least a modicum of company, he was going to relish it. They stood there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the hug, before Naruto finally broke it off and gave a sheepish smile to the trying-real-hard-to-be-stoic Kyuubi.

Before Kyuubi could vocalize her thanks to the blonde, however, he walked over to the door, and revealed something that took her breath away.

It was…_outside_. It was a replication, but it _felt_ real. The trees were swaying under a slight, warm breeze. There were flowers of all kinds, and different forms of wildlife roamed freely. The grass was ankle deep, and it tickled Kyuubi's bare feet to step on it. The artificial sun shone at a perfect angle, casting comforting shadows across the expanse of nature. Birds chirped, sakura petals danced, and the place was _alive_ in so many ways.

This time she simply let herself speak her thanks. **"…Naruto…this…this is absolutely…beautiful…so absolutely…**_**beautiful**_**…thank you…so very much…"** Kyuubi was the one to bow this time, with a small goofily proportioned smile pulling at the edge of her mouth.

Kyuubi was a tailed beast…a monster, a destroyer, something that struck fear into her opponents, and relished in their desperation and death…it was her nature, and it was what she was created for, it's what she was commanded to do, and what she did without hesitation…and yet, in this relatively short time span spent with this boy, she had changed, fundamentally.

She allowed herself a small, wistful and happy smile. When she had been sealed inside him, she had seen in herself the depths of depression…for twelve years she had wallowed in that depressed hell…and in the course of a few days, this boy, whose kindness knew almost no end, had reversed it. He had been kind to a monster, he had shown pity on the pitiless, and he had given someone who, in her own estimation, did not deserve a second chance, that very thing.

Right then and there, Kyuubi made a silent promise to herself. This boy would live. This boy would flourish. Uzumaki Naruto would become feared, or loved…whichever he wanted, and she would make sure that she guided him in his endeavors. That much, she would make _sure_ of.

Before she could ask how he was able to change her cage without instruction, however, he seemed to get a puzzled look on his face, and gave her a somewhat quizzical glance. "So…changing the inside of your cage is all well and good…but if I'm going to be giving you freedom anyway, you're going to be staying outside of the seal quite a bit, right? Why change the cell when you're not going to spend much time in it?"

Kyuubi, after composing herself, simply smirked for a second before giving a true smile to the demon container. "**For quite a few reasons. One, this is where I will **_**live**_**, regardless of where I am. You did a fine job on the redecoration job, by the way."** Naruto seemed to blush slightly at the praise before Kyuubi continued her lecture. **"Secondly, where do you think you'll be learning anatomy, chemistry, and biology? To learn those things, you will be entering my seal at night, and while your body rests, your mind will be learning with me." **

She took a few experimental steps in the grass, almost skipping around, relishing the feeling. Almost absentmindedly, she continued her explanation. **"It's a common misconception that the mind needs rest. The physical **_**body**_** needs rest, yes, but the mind is an ethereal existence…it exists almost outside of the bounds of the physical. Because of that, your mind can be in here, with me, learning, and your body can be resting. You'll be as refreshed as your normally are, and you will also be smarter because of it. It's really the most convenient solution. Besides, that empty book case that you set up could use some filling up."** Kyuubi allowed herself a slightly amused chuckle at Naruto's dual expression of both anticipation and anxiety. It was certainly a new concept, that was for sure.

Before they could start on a new line of conversation, however, both noticed that there was…interference…coming from outside of the seal. The pink haired one seemed to be shouting at Naruto with vigor. Both vixen and container scowled, but Kyuubi gave Naruto a barely perceptible nod, and before Naruto knew it, he was beginning to fade back into the realm of the living.

---------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------

A/N : How'd you like it? Could be better, could be worse, IMO. After this, there_**will**_ be more cliché, but I hope to write it in a good way. Also, I've found that I don't much like writing short chapters…so while the updates may be slower in coming, the chapters_will_ be longer than normal. Any who, on to Chapter 2. Hope to see you there!

Edited: 1/28/08


	2. Despair and Hope

This used to be part of Chapter 1…but I figured I needed to chop it down a bit, so that it wasn't _as_ fucking huge. You can all thank Islagatt for not having to read an insanely long chapter 1. Because of that, this chapter is a bit shorter than I usually like to write, but it ends just about perfectly for me, so I'll just kinda have to bear it. Also, don't expect updates to come this fast...to be honest, when I published the first chapter, I already had chapter 2 and 3 done...so I'll be posting 3 later on when I feel that 1 and 2 have run their course.

Also, to those who are concerned that this will end up like one of my other stories…don't be. Even if the updates become slow in coming due to school and all that, I'll still finish this thing, no matter what. You have my word on that. Nothing short of death will stop me. On with the story.

Oh. I don't own Naruto. That hasn't changed in the space of one chapter. Damn.

----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

"…Naruto! _Naruto!_ **_Naruto!_**" Sakura had been calling to the seemingly comatose blonde for almost 5 minutes now, and it was starting to get on Sasuke's nerves. Really. Sasuke had an almost impenetrable emotional wall, but if that pink haired psychopath screamed even one more time, he might just lose it and go Itachi all over this fucking classroom.

Just as Sakura was readying another lung-full of air to shout at Naruto again, he seemed to open his eyes and give Sakura a wilting glare, unknowingly saving both of them from Sasuke's fearsome emotional wrath. Sakura flinched back for a moment before regaining what remained of her composure, and sitting down at a seat roughly adjacent to Naruto's own. Sasuke had no real idea what she was going to talk to him about, and he wouldn't really have cared, if it hadn't been for the fact that Naruto…had changed, almost at a fundamental level, from the loudmouth he had grown to grudgingly respect before.

Sasuke would never admit it to anyone, even under threat of torture, but Naruto had gained his at least _passing_ respect quite a few years ago. Sasuke simply couldn't help it. The boy was almost everything he wasn't…or at least, he was. He used to be brash, loud, and seemingly insouciant to the point of being absolutely annoying. None of this made sense to Sasuke, mostly because of the fact that he _knew_ that Naruto was an orphan, and for whatever reason, he was hated with vehemence by the greater majority of the village. To maintain such a happy-go-lucky attitude under such scrutiny and adverse conditions was more than enough to earn Sasuke's respect, even if it was only because Sasuke could empathize quite well with the pain of loneliness that Naruto had endured.

Sasuke allowed himself a moment of rare perception. Seemingly overnight, the dobe had gotten taller, changed his wardrobe, matured his appearance, and gotten to be less of a cheerful dope than he was before. It was a change that Sasuke wasn't sure he liked or disliked about the blonde, it just seemed to be something that was…different. His recommendation to his own psyche about the benefits or downsides to Naruto's new persona wouldn't come until later, he supposed.

Sasuke prepared himself to completely ignore both Sakura and Naruto, however he had a flash of rare inspiration. Sakura obviously was as curious about Naruto's transformation as he was, and undoubtedly, she would ask questions that he himself would never bring himself to ask. Instead of tuning the pair out, he focused an infinitesimal amount of chakra to his ears, and listened.

"Ne…Naruto…since we're going to be teammates and all…I was just wondering if you could tell me why it is that you…look so different, and act different than you usually do. I mean…it's not a _bad_ change, it's certainly a good thing, but…to just change overnight like that…" Sakura's tone was almost condescending, but it was able to broach the subject well, at least by Sasuke's estimation.

His theories on Sakura's conversational abilities, however, were abruptly shattered. "Sakura…yes, we are going to be team mates. We will perform missions together, and we will eventually get to know each other much better than we do now…assuming that you don't spend _all_ of your time fawning over Sasuke. However, I do not wish to divulge my…secrets…at the moment, to anyone, especially not someone like you. Do we have an…understanding, Haruno?" Naruto's tone left little doubt that he was holding the greater majority of his emotion back, as his speech came out cold and almost emotionlessly, unless one listened carefully for the spiteful undertones thereof. Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly at the thought that Naruto had 'secrets', and he resolved himself to learn them.

Even more impressive, however, was that Naruto, who, to Sasuke's knowledge, had a tremendous crush on Sakura, would even speak to her in such a way. It was much the same tone that Sasuke used to turn down his own ravenous hordes of fan girls, and Sasuke's respect for the blonde rose just a notch higher. It seemed as though Naruto had either gotten over his crush on Sakura, or he had forced her out of his mind. Either way, it was bound to make a better ninja out of him. That could only work to his favor.

Sasuke continued to listen in, as the pregnant pause after Naruto's little tirade had begun to dwindle. "Bu-but, I-I-I just wanted to-" Sakura's reply was tersely cut off by Naruto's intervening candor.

"I understand what you wanted to do, Sakura!" Naruto's voice rose ever so slightly, and the fact that his voice had deepened was now apparent for all to hear. The tone of his voice, along with his changed appearance made even Sasuke flinch ever so slightly. It made Sakura, on the other hand, jump back in her seat, eyes quivering from some bank of stored teardrops that she no doubt had somewhere. Perhaps a new form of Suiton jutsu, or a bloodline limit to create fresh sources of saltwater. Just thinking about it…the possibilities were enormous…

Sasuke's reverie over the possibilities of Sakura's teary jutsu was broken as Naruto continued his tirade, but in a slightly more subdued tone than before. If anything, it gave his words even more ice than they previously had. "Sakura, as you can plainly tell, I am not in the most…jovial…of moods. Quite frankly, this entire situation pisses me off to no end. I have things to do, people to go see, and training to commence, and we are stuck in this dingy room waiting for our retarded…excuse me, _tardy_, Sensei to arrive. I have better things to do than sit here and have a conversation with someone who will only serve to irk me even more than I currently am. So, the understanding is this. You will leave me alone for the time being. You will not bother me. You _will_, in time, come to know exactly what it is that caused my oh so miraculous transformation into a human being that you can actually converse with. Until the time that I so deem you _worthy_ of such information, you will summarily **_SHUT UP_**. Do I make myself completely, and unequivocally clear, Haruno?"

Sasuke was stunned, possibly even more so than Sakura. Never in the entire time that he had known the dobe had he ever heard him speak like that, and certainly not to Sakura. It was cold, calculating, precise, and _effective_. Naruto's particular rant was now accompanied by a particularly stabbing stare and a visage that _screamed_ irritation. Sasuke subconsciously memorized Naruto's little monologue, modifying it for his own needs, should he ever need it to beat off a particularly virulent strain of fan girl.

Sasuke again began to contemplate the ramifications of customized Suiton jutsu, as Sakura began to freely tear up. He began wondering if perhaps this was a blood limit that all women shared, and he found himself again wondering if perhaps women had an instinctive ability to create their own freeform amounts of saltwater when necessary for certain Suiton jutsu. The amount of crying that females, on average, did was more than enough to justify in Sasuke's own warped mind the creation of these salt-water Suiton jutsu.

Sasuke was brought back from his musings on females and Suiton jutsu, forcefully, when a man entered the room. He was tall, easily 6'4". His first distinguishing feature was that he hid most of his distinguishing features. He had on a blue facemask that covered up to the bridge of his nose, and his forehead protector covered one eye. His silvery-grey hair shot up, as if defying gravity and his one visible eye seemed to _exude_ laziness. Other than that, however, he was fairly plain. A very standard Jounin outfit adorned his lean but muscular figure, and if one were to see him on the street, they would certainly just pass him by as yet another faceless Shinobi.

The man took a look around the room, as if sizing up exactly what he had walked in on. Sakura's teary eyes were turned towards him, as was Naruto's and Sasuke's own jet black ones. The Jounin seemed to look at Sasuke with an appraising and almost supportive look, and then his eyes narrowed somewhat when his gaze reached Sakura. However, the Jounin dropped the orange book and stared wide eyed and gape jawed at Naruto when his gaze finally found him.

A pregnant pause followed, and you could cut the awkwardness and tension in the air with a kunai. The Jounin seemed to look away from Naruto for a moment, before regaining his composure. His one visible eye curved upward slightly, giving the only real indication that he was smiling, and he uttered his first words to team 7.

"Maa, what an interesting mix of people this team has! My first impression of you…is that you're pathetic. Meet me on the roof in 1 minute. Ja ne!" With that, the white haired Jounin poofed to the roof, leaving team 7 to near face-fault as they heard his initial impression of them. Sasuke brushed it off and made his way towards the door, his thoughts once again on the ever present need to kill his brother, temporarily abandoning his quest to learn more about the blonde puzzle on his team.

---------------------------------------------------

Naruto felt great. As he was walking up the stairs, keenly aware of Sakura's attempt to penetrate his skull with her eyes, he realized that he had gotten quite the load off his chest. He almost sighed with contentment. The look on Sakura's face had been priceless. Betrayal, hurt, offense…all of them had passed on her visage in the blink of an eye, literally. He had certainly gotten the art of being cold and calculating down rather quickly.

Naruto followed Sasuke to the roof, where their extremely tardy sensei was waiting for them. Consciously or not, Naruto managed to sit with Sasuke between him and Sakura, facing their Sensei, who he noticed was giving him strange and almost scared looks every now and again. It irritated him.

"So, you're team 7. I'm your Jounin instructor. Let's get acquainted with each other, ne? You, pinky, go first." The grey haired man simply pointed to the now un-distraught girl sitting to Sasuke's right, and she gave him a quizzical expression.

"Ne, Sensei, What do you mean? What should we say?" Sakura's own temerity was reflected in an almost amused gaze from their sensei, who turned his head upwards to glance at the clouds.

"You know, your likes, your dislikes, your hobbies and your dreams. That kind of thing." Sakura seemed to process this information for a second before returning their Sensei's deadpan expression.

"Why don't you go first? After all, we have no clue who you are!" Sakura seemed almost pleased with herself for thinking up such a devilishly clever scheme, and their Sensei only chuckled slightly before glancing at the clouds once more.

"Alright…my name is Hatake Kakashi. I like many things…I dislike some things…I have many hobbies…" He seemed almost to be _not there_ while he was speaking, and if Naruto didn't know any better, he would have thought him under some sort of narcotic. "As for my dream…you're too young to understand it." Kakashi's gaze stayed skyward, while Sakura whispered to the group, "_So all we got to know was his name!_" Naruto nodded slightly before Kakashi returned his gaze to Sakura.

"So, pinky, you're up, again." Sakura puffed slightly at being called pinky, but it was quickly dispelled as she shot a sidelong glance to Sasuke, blushing the whole time. "My name is Haruno Sakura…I like…" She shot another sidelong glance to Sasuke, before gaining what little composure she had left. "My dislikes…Ino-pig! And mean people…" With that, she threw a glare at Naruto, who only shrugged. "My hobbies…" She giggled again… "My dream…" She completely flipped out at this, going into a giggle fit of epic proportions, after shooting another long glance at Sasuke.

Kakashi resisted the urge to groan. A lovesick stalker of a Genin. Wonderful. Quickly deciding to move on, he pointed to Sasuke. "You, the brooding one, go."

Sasuke seemed to think for a moment, before answering in his typical brooding and unemotional voice. "Uchiha Sasuke. I have very few likes, and I dislike quite a lot. I have no hobbies, but I have…an ambition. To revive my clan and to kill…a certain man." Sasuke finished on a cold note, giving Sakura dispense to giggle like a horny schoolgirl again, while preaching his virtues.

Kakashi simply stared at the boy. 'So…an avenger. Just as I thought.' He put his thoughts aside for the moment, and finally pointed to the person he was truly curious about. "You, Blondie, go."

Naruto didn't answer for a second. To be honest, he was contemplating what to say. Given the same question only days before, his answer probably would have been something about ramen and becoming Hokage…but now…Naruto decided to wing it. Whatever came out, came out.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My likes…are the few people in this village who treat me with respect…training…and a certain vixen." At this, Kakashi's eyes widened ever so slightly, and Kyuubi blushed when Naruto gave what amounted to a mental cheshire grin. "My dislikes…most of the people in Konohagakure no Sato, and possibly the Yondaime Hokage, I haven't made up my mind yet." Kakashi's eye widened even more at this, and Sasuke and Sakura both gave him an almost frightened stare. His tone was almost as cold and uncaring as Sasuke's, and to hear that he didn't like the Yondaime… "My hobbies…it used to be pulling pranks…now…I don't really have any. My dream…" Naruto closed his eyes for a second, truly contemplating what his dream was.

Up until a few days ago, his only dream was to become Hokage and gain the respect of the village that he thought he so dearly loved. Now, however…things were different. He knew things that he didn't know then, and he wasn't so happily oblivious to his own surroundings. He still wanted recognition from the village…but…differently. He wanted them to recognize his power, and especially, that he was no one to be trifled with. He had been kicked around long enough. Simply grinning and bearing it didn't work anymore.

He gave a small chuckle before continuing with the last part of his soliloquy. "My dream is to make this village see just exactly who I am, one way…or another." A small smile came onto his face, and he noticed that Kakashi was drilling him with a glare filled with barely suppressed…something. It had been the same something that he had sent to Sakura earlier and he still had no idea what it was.

"**It's called 'Killing Intent', or 'Ki'. It's basically the ability to extend your own soul and spirits dominance onto others via the use of expanded and activated chakra. It's tremendously useful, and it will be something I will be training you to utilize."** Naruto silently thanked the Kyuubi, and glared right back at the Jounin. Unconsciously, he unleashed his own killing intent, laced with the raw killing intent of the Kyuubi behind it.

Kakashi found himself hard pressed to breathe. He had been holding his own Ki back remarkably well, deciding not to kill the brat until _after_ the other two had left. Hearing that the brat hated the Yondaime, his sensei, even knowing the kid's burden, was enough to push him well overboard. But he had failed to anticipate that the kid would have his own killing intent, laced with none other than the fear inducing Ki of the Kyuubi behind it. Sasuke and Sakura both felt it as well, as their own startled and fearful expressions showed. Naruto simply sat there, calm and uncaring to the world.

As suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. The pressure that had been exerted on the air abated, and the three found that they could breathe once more. After a few moments of tense silence, Kakashi figured that he should wrap things up, and confront Naruto.

"Well then…you three, we're going to be doing some survival training tomorrow at training ground 7. You may not have known this, but the true Genin exam lies with the instructor, not with the academy. I will choose, tomorrow, whether you 3 pass or fail. Note that there is a 66.6 percent failure rate in this test, so there is a good chance that one, two, or even all three of you will be sent back to the academy. Oh, and don't eat breakfast…you'll only throw up." Kakashi gave a half hearted grin to the now stunned three, before motioning to both Sasuke and Sakura to leave. Thankfully, they got the hint.

Sasuke hesitated slightly on the edge of the building before giving a slight nod to Naruto, and heading off into the distance. For a few moments, Naruto and Kakashi simply stared at each other, neither one willing to make the first move. However, suddenly, Naruto made a move to…stand up. Kakashi released his hand from his kunai pouch, and resumed his deathly glare upon the Jinchuuriki with renewed vigor. Naruto simply smirked.

"Before you give me some lecture on the virtues of the Yondaime…save it. I don't have time for such pointless drabble. I need to go get one of my _friends_ in this village, and then head to the Sandaime's office." Kakashi was nearly fuming at this. If Kakashi was anything though, he was pragmatic. He didn't allow the majority of his emotion to show, and simply sighed at the blonde in front of him.

"Very well. We'll go see the Sandaime." Kakashi watched as Naruto's face changed to one of surprise, at the mention of 'we'. It quickly schooled itself into an expression of irritation, however.

"I'm afraid that 'we' will not be seeing the Sandaime, Kakashi. Myself and Iruka are going to speak to him about certain…matters…that I would rather you not be privy to." Naruto steeled his gaze at Kakashi, but of course, Kakashi was a Jounin for a reason. He simply stared right back and crossed his arms in defiance. "Naruto, 'we' _will_ be seeing the Sandaime, even if I have to drag you to the tower myself. That…killing intent…of yours was clearly the Kyuubi's. If anything, the seal could be weakening, and seeing as how I'm one of the few people left in this world who knows, at least somewhat, how that seal works, I _will_ be present." Naruto's face was impassive for a moment, before it turned into a smirk, much to Kakashi's surprise.

"Trust me, Kakashi-_sensei_…I know more about how this seal _really_ works than you ever will. If you really knew how this seal worked, you wouldn't be berating me. Or perhaps, you're not familiar with my _Impression Seal_, hmm?" Kakashi's visible eye widened to the point of shooting above his forehead protector at that comment. His entire body seemed to freeze slightly, and he seemed to almost be contemplating his very existence at that moment.

In truth, Kakashi was stunned. He _did_ know about impression seals. It was required history reading for Jounin. However, the allegation that Naruto had just made…that he had an Impression seal…it couldn't be. Kakashi _knew_ about the seal on Naruto's navel. It sported an array of seals, ranging from simple suppression seals, to seals that regulated chakra conversion, and even seals that controlled chakra flow. All of these seals were controlled by the Shiki Fuujin overseal. The prospect that Naruto had an _Impression_ seal mixed in with all of those…

Then it hit him. Naruto looked considerably different than he did when he had been presented with information on him by the Sandaime. That's not to say he didn't know what he looked like…he had been one of the ANBU to save Naruto's life when he had been beaten before, and he had also been one of the ANBU assigned to watch the kid when he was younger. He remembered a child with blonde hair, blue eyes, and small whisker marks on his cheeks. The Naruto that was standing in front of him, however, was completely different. He had jet black eyes, darker yellow-blonde hair, and much more defined whisker marks. On top of that, he was taller, leaner, more muscular, and more…_mature_ looking than he had been on the picture he had from the Hokage. With all of this knowledge, he came to one conclusion.

Naruto had indeed been subjected to an Impression seal. And that seal was broken.

"Naruto…I…it…the seal…" Kakashi's thoughts were running rampant, and they threatened to simply spill out. The ramifications of Naruto having had an Impression seal all this time…only a blood relative could put on an impression seal…

Kakashi's mind chose that moment to blank.

Naruto sighed. The Jounin seemed to have figured something out. He had certainly said too much. The Kyuubi was groaning in the back of his head, and he felt like slapping himself on the forehead. Now he would _have_ to take Kakashi with him to the Sandaime, if for no other reason than to assuage his sensei's fears about his own seal. Besides, if this Kakashi guy was going to be his sensei, he might as well start off with a gesture of good faith, eh?

"Kakashi…fine. We'll go get Iruka, and we'll head to the Hokage. Will that do?" Kakashi simply stood there for a moment before dumbly nodding his head. They both set off to find a certain dolphin, and then made their way to the Hokage tower in relative silence.

-------------------------------------------

The Sandaime was having a good day. Then again, any day when the 'out' pile of his paperwork was full, and the 'in' pile was empty, was a great day. Paperwork was the bane of a Kage's existence, and quite possibly the only foe that a competent Kage was hard pressed to fully vanquish. Sandaime let himself indulge in a small chuckle. The things he did for Konoha…

He was just about to pull out his favorite orange book from a hidden compartment in his desk, when a soft yet urgent knocking sounded on his solid oak doors. He sighed. Of course, there _would_ be someone here to see him as soon as the paperwork was finished. It was simply a universal constant, he supposed.

He called for whoever was behind the door to enter, and was somewhat pleasantly surprised to see a blonde-ish mop of hair peek from behind the door, along with two other nin's that he recognized as Umino Iruka and Hatake Kakashi. He was just about to greet Naruto and the others when he noticed that Naruto looked different. Darker hair, new yet somewhat familiar clothes, black eyes, pronounced whisker marks…

Sarutobi immediately snapped himself to attention, and with a gesture of his right hand, a squad of ANBU was immediately surrounding the blonde demon container.

"Sandaime-ojisan, what's all this?!" Naruto, or perhaps a facsimile thereof had an almost irritated look on his face, but it quickly changed to a serious expression when he saw the absolute firm and schooled features of the Sandaime.

"Who are you, and why do you look like Naruto? Answer incorrectly, and it will be your head!" Naruto was slightly taken aback by the supposedly kind old man's words…until he remembered exactly why he was here, and that he looked considerably different than he used to. A small bead of sweat made it's way down his features, until he regained his bearings and got down to business.

"Sarutobi-ojisan, I _am_ Naruto. My appearance is the product of…" Naruto fought to find the right words for the situation, before he was saved in the nick of time by his brother-figure, Iruka.

"Sandaime-sama, I assure you, the person standing in front of you is indeed Uzumaki Naruto. I can attest to that myself, as can Kakashi-san here." Iruka gave an almost imperceptible elbow-nudge to the silver haired Jounin before said Jounin nodded to the Hokage, still in his stupefied state.

The Hokage seemed to mull the situation for a moment, before gesturing for his ANBU to leave. The ANBU captain gave him a gaze that clearly showed concern, but a hardened glare from the aged leader made clear that his orders stood, and as quickly as they had arrived, the ANBU team dispersed.

Naruto let out a breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding in, and walked casually up to the Sandaime's desk, before depositing himself in one of the few chairs that sat across from the Sandaime himself. Internally, his thoughts were going a mile a minute…what to say, how to say it, and what questions to ask, were the primary concerns for him to mull upon.

Iruka and Kakashi both strode to the Hokage and gave a bow of respect, before positioning themselves on either side of Naruto, sitting down in identical chairs. For a few moments, no one said anything, and the Sandaime simply fixed his gaze on Naruto, still trying to discern if the boy sitting in front of him was really the boy that he knew and cared for.

It was eventually Naruto himself that broke the tense silence. "Oji-san…I know I look different, but I guarantee you, I _am_ Naruto…in fact, the reason I came here is due to the reason why I look different. These two are here because they both know of the situation, if only somewhat, and probably deserve to know about the whole thing as much as you do." Naruto's stomach was doing flip-flops in his stomach under the scrutinizing glare of the third Hokage, before the Hokage's gaze turned to one that Naruto had seen many times before. It was a gaze of understanding and joviality, and it was the way that he looked at Naruto when he usually came to visit.

"I believe you, Naruto. After all, you _are_ the only person who still calls me an 'old man'." Iruka and Kakashi both sweat-dropped slightly at that. Iruka supposed that it was true…Naruto _was_ the only person who still called the Hokage by his 'old man' moniker as opposed to 'Sandaime-sama' or something equally as respectful. Iruka made a mental note to pound some respect into Naruto's head after all of this.

Naruto simply scratched the back of his head while giving the Sandaime a sheepish grin. Naruto had called the Hokage an 'old man' for as long as he could remember, and it had taken on the status of being a term of endearment between the two. He allowed himself a small reminiscing smile before turning his gaze back to one of business, and got ready to relay the story that he had told Iruka, but without abbreviations. The Hokage saw his expression, and performed a privacy jutsu on his office. Naruto once again wished that he could learn it.

"Oji-san…the reason I'm here…" Naruto searched for the words to begin his explanation, but none came to him. In a flash of unusual inspiration, he decided to simply come out with it.

He sighed before looking the Sandaime straight in the eyes. He chose the words that would undoubtedly mean more to the Sandaime than trying to explain the whole thing. "Oji-san…Kyuubi broke the impression seal."

Sarutobi's expression changed instantly from one of kindness, to one of both confusion and extreme surprise. The pipe dropped from his mouth, and his eyes widened further than Naruto had ever seen them. "Bu-but…that seal…how…what…"

The Sandaime was absolutely beside himself in surprise. Not only did Naruto _know_ of the impression seal, but somehow, the Kyuubi had broken it. The entire situation was confusing as well as borderline frightening, but he forced himself to calm down, and with calm, yet slightly shaking voice, he asked Naruto to start from the beginning.

Naruto more than happily obliged. He relayed the entire story, almost verbatim to the Sandaime, with Iruka and Kakashi's expressions both becoming ones of surprise and in Kakashi's case, anger, at hearing some of the things that were revealed during the story itself. He told them of the fact that Kyuubi would be teaching him, that he had signed the Kitsune contract, and that his end of the 'bargain' for being taught by the Kyuubi was to summon her from time to time to have some fresh air. They looked sufficiently angry as well as terrified at that revelation, when Kakashi looked as though he was about to interject, the Sandaime threw him a look that clearly said, 'We'll talk later'. When it was time to get to the end, he paused for a moment, as though choosing his words, and then continued unabated.

"After the Kyuubi got done explaining to me exactly what the Impression seal was for, and how it was used, she put the whole situation together for me." Naruto paused again for a moment, before sighing and resigning himself to the chaos that his next words would cause.

"The impression seal can only be put on by an extremely close blood relative, and it had to have been put on at the same time that the Shiki Fuujin was placed on me, so as not to cause conflict with the other seals. That means that the Yondaime had to have put the Impression seal on me, and that means that he was a direct relative of mine. He was entirely too old to be my brother…so that means…that the Yondaime is…was…my father…right Oji-san?" Naruto stared impassively as the Hokage's own expression turned to one of almost anguish, and Iruka's turned to one of both surprise, admiration, and a small amount of pity.

Kakashi's reaction, however, Naruto could never have anticipated. The desk in front of Kakashi shuddered with the impact of Kakashi's fist, and with a glare that would have killed lesser men, he stood up and met the Sandaime's own gaze with his own.

"You **_LIED_** to me! My Sensei's child did **_not_** die! All this time…all of this _god damned_ time, and I…you never told me…DAMN you! I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HIS GOD FATHER! I would have looked over him, protected him, provided for him, and yet I was never told!" Kakashi was shaking with barely repressed rage by now, and Naruto's expression was one of astonishment.

Hatake Kakashi was one of his father's students…what's more, he was supposed to have been his godfather. Not only that, but this man, who Naruto could never remember meeting before in his life, was practically _oozing_ killer intent on Naruto's behalf for not being allowed to care for him as a child. Unbidden, a smile came to Naruto's face, and his respect for the man sitting to his right jumped up considerably.

Iruka, by this time, was restraining Kakashi from jumping over the desk to accost the Hokage, and surprisingly, the Sandaime looked almost ashamed. Naruto wondered if perhaps his unofficial grandfather figure was truly remorseful for his actions. The silence in the room was broken by Sandaime's own shaking voice.

"It was never my decision, Kakashi. When the sealing took place, Yondaime-kun made sure to let me know that _no-one_, aside from Jiraiya, myself, and his mother, would know who he really was. Of course, his mother…" The Sandaime trailed off with a pained expression on his face, to the confusion of everyone in the room, before he resumed his speech. "You have to understand his reasoning. He knew that his son was going to have a hard life…and while he knew that if the populous were to know that Naruto was his son, it would make it easier on him…it would also create even larger problems. He believed that Naruto would still have his mother, at least to a certain extent…but…" Kakashi seemed to deflate slightly at the old man's words, but his gaze was still one of intense and burning defiance. Even Kakashi looked confused, however, at the constant references to Naruto's mother. Sarutobi let forth a heaving sigh, before repositioning his pipe in his mouth and continuing his explanation.

"You know as well as I do that Minato had many enemies, both inside and outside of Konoha. While the populace _may_ have accepted Naruto more freely if they had known his heritage, it was never a guarantee. They could have thought it a lie, just as easily as they could have embraced it. It was a 50 to 50 chance of either complicating the situation or making it better. However, it would have been an almost guarantee that if people freely knew that his son was alive, Naruto's life would have been in immediate and unrelenting danger. Do you really think that the Stone or the Cloud would have left him alone, after the infamous 'Yellow Flash' decimated so many of their Shinobi? There's even no real guarantee that he would have been safe from his enemies on the council, or in certain factions among Konoha's elite, as he had made quick enemies with quite a few on the council, as well as in certain…ANBU divisions. In the end, Kakashi, Naruto would have been in even more danger if people had even _thought_ that Naruto was Minato's son, than if people had no idea." Kakashi's glare had completely died down by now, and he was slumped in his chair, with his one visible eye towards the floor. If Naruto didn't know better, he would have thought he was trying to keep from crying.

Before the Sandaime could continue again, Naruto's one burning question made its way to the front of his mind, and he knew that he _needed_ to know. "Sandaime-ojisan…all of this gives me so many more questions, but there is one question that I really, really want answered." Naruto paused for a moment before fixing his gaze back on the old man. "I now know who my father was…and I even know his first name…but…who was my mother?" The Sandaime seemed to stiffen at this, and Iruka's expression was simply one of confusion, much the same as Naruto's. Kakashi simply had an intensely pensive look on his face.

Sandaime rubbed the bridge of his nose, before taking a long drag of his pipe. "Naruto…your father and your Mother's relationship was kept almost as much of a secret as your own heritage was. This is due to the fact that your Mother's clan, if they had known of the relationship, would have strictly forbidden it, and because of this, they decided to keep their romance a secret from almost _everyone_, including Kakashi. Kakashi was simply told that Minato would be having a son, but the Yondaime refused to tell him who exactly the mother was. " Sarutobi sighed once more, and looked Naruto directly in the eyes. "Your Mother is actually the reason why the impression seal was placed upon you in the first place. A great resemblance to the Yondaime could be overlooked in many people's eyes, however if you had looked as you do now, there would have been no doubt as to your lineage among many, due to the fact that many in the village knew your mother, or rather her clan, and their traits are more…distinguished…than even your fathers. Mind you, even though that particular clan's features can be overlooked just as easily, at the time, there was a bit of a rumor that the Yondaime was involved with…well, let's just say that with the rumor, had you looked as you do now, there would have been no doubt." Kakashi stiffened completely at this admission from the Kage, and his one visible eye started shaking.

"You don't mean…the rumor was true?! His eyes…his _black_ eyes…oh my god…" Kakashi was now shaking even more than he was before and even Iruka looked as though he had caught on. Naruto on the other hand was oblivious.

"**Yes…it makes sense now. Your father didn't give you your impression seal to pass on his own genetics to you, but rather to disguise you."** Naruto was still puzzled, and the Kyuubi seemed to pick up on it. "**Isn't it obvious, kit? Your true eye color…what one group of people in Konoha has ever had jet black eyes?"** Naruto mulled on this a moment, before realization hit him in a flash. Before he could speak, however, the Sandaime beat him to it.

"Naruto…your Mother's name was **Uchiha** Misao."

Naruto promptly fainted.

----------------------------------------------------

"Naruto…"

Naruto's eyes opened ever so slightly at the sound of his name being called, and he began to wonder just what was going on, and where he was.

"Naruto…come on Naruto…damn it…what did I always used to do when Hinata fainted…"

Memories of the prior conversation came back to him in a flash…his father, the reason behind the seal…his mother…

"Naruto! Wake up you baka!"

_His mother!_

Naruto snapped awake immediately, noticing that he was being propped up by a tremendously relieved looking Iruka, with a slightly worried looking Hokage and Jounin Sensei looking down at him, their expressions quickly becoming relieved as well. Naruto himself gave a placating gesture with his right hand, before being helped back into his chair by Iruka.

Naruto wasn't entirely sure what to do. There were so many questions floating around in his head, and so many other things that he needed clarified, that it would take the better part of the rest of the day to fully sort them out. He sighed. There was a story behind all of this, he was sure, and most of his questions would probably be answered if he simply asked the old man to relay it. Besides, if there was one thing that Sarutobi was good at, it was weaving a good tale, even if it was non-fiction.

"Oji-san…tell me everything. I want to know about myself, I want to know about my parents, and I want to know what's left. I've had a lot of secrets withheld from me lately, and I'd like it for that to _stop_. Just tell me everything. _Everything_." Truthfully, Naruto was just a bit peeved…within the space of about 2 days, he had gone from knowing absolutely nothing about himself to having his entire life changed, and he would much rather have it all come out _now_ instead of having to learn it piecemeal from different sources.

Sarutobi seemed pensive for a moment. His pipe was alternatively smoldering and burning brightly at short intervals, and from past experience, Naruto knew that as a sign that the old Hokage was thinking rather hard. Finally, it looked as though he came to a decision.

"I've already told you quite a bit…I suppose I should simply get it all out there. Although…are you sure you want Iruka and Kakashi to hear this?" All eyes in the room turned to Naruto, and he seemed to furrow his brow for a moment, before his normal determined look reappeared on his young visage.

"Hai. Iruka is someone I trust implicitly, and Kakashi…well, I suppose if anyone outside of me and Iruka deserve to hear this, it's him. So, yes, I want them included in this." Iruka's expression warmed considerably, and Kakashi's own cyclopean look seemed to alternate between thankfulness and warmth, before schooling itself into impassivity. Both sat down, and after a few moments of contemplation, the Hokage commenced telling the story.

"It all began about a year and a half before the Kyuubi attacked. Your father, having been wounded while trying to perfect one of his jutsu, had been taken to the hospital, where one of the best medic-nin's of our time, your mother, attended to him. Apparently, your father was quite taken with her the moment he laid eyes on her, and promptly asked her out. Your mother being of the same mind towards him, just as promptly accepted. Of course, it probably helped that your father was a bit of a heart-throb among the female population of the village." Sarutobi chuckled here for a moment, before continuing.

"They had a fairly good relationship going for almost a month, before the Uchiha council got wind of it. They were, of course, incensed that one of their own was in a relationship outside of the bounds of what a _'proper'_ Uchiha should be in. They were of the mind that Uchiha should marry nobility, or even within the clan, therefore keeping their own bloodline 'unpolluted', or some such nonsense. They expressly forbade your mother from seeing the Yondaime." Sarutobi took a puff on his pipe and his eyes seemed to be a visage of almost anger before he schooled his expression once again and began relaying the rest of the story.

"It didn't really help that your mother wasn't exactly liked within the Uchiha inner-circle, either. According to them, Uchiha were supposed to be feared warriors, not _medics_ of all things. Don't misunderstand me, either…your mother was a very competent ninja, easily meeting the requirements for being a Chuunin, however her main role within most ninja-related things was to be the field medic, and because of this, she saved countless amounts of lives. To be honest, as a medic-nin, she was second only to Tsunade, and even on par with Kakashi's own teammate, a girl named Rin…but that's another story."

"Of course, your mother and father had no intentions of obeying the stuck up Uchiha council, and as such, they continued their romance unabated, albeit in much more secret conditions. They would meet very surreptitiously, either at your father's own estate, or at some of the more private eating establishments, and you could often find them simply gazing at the stars under Henge. They loved each other more than any other couple I've seen in a long time, and it only took about four months before they asked me to perform the marriage ceremony for them." Sarutobi by now was smiling a very warm and reminiscing smile, and you could see his eyes get slightly misty with unshed tears.

"The ceremony, if you could call it that, was very small. It was performed in this very office, with Jiraiya being the only witness. At that time, I was still retired, but being that I had once been a Hokage, I still had the power to marry people. It was short and concise, and they both told each other that when they felt they could, they would have a more grandiose ceremony. It was only a few months after that that you were conceived." Sarutobi and Kakashi both shared a perverted giggle, while Iruka and Naruto shared a sweat-drop. Naruto had to restrain himself from giving them both a well deserved lump on the head. Seeing Naruto's irritation, Sarutobi cleared his throat, and continued on.

"Life continued much the same for the next eight months, with your mother somehow being able to keep her growing pregnancy a secret from everyone. It was during the eighth month that we received word of the Kyuubi re-awakening, and storming a veritable warpath towards Konoha. As you can imagine, Minato became incredibly busy almost overnight, trying desperately to develop a way to kill the demon that was bearing down on us. He got very little sleep, and even less time to spend with his wife and soon-to-be-born son. It was nerve wracking on him, but as the casualty reports kept coming in from outlying settlements, he had no choice but to devote himself fully towards it's defeat." Sarutobi allowed himself a solitary tear at this point, and both Kakashi and Iruka shared in the old sage's sentiments. It was almost a full minute before the Hokage allowed himself to move on.

"A few days before the Kyuubi was to arrive at Konoha, your father finally came up with the idea for the Shiki Fuujin. It was a jutsu-sealing procedure that invoked the death god himself, Shinigami, to forcibly remove the very soul of the Kyuubi and seal it within the stomach of the death god forever. The price, however, was steep. It required for the user to give up their own life to an eternity of battle within the death god's stomach with the soul they sealed away. At first, everyone who was privy to the information, including Minato himself was very reluctant to use it; however, it became very clear the closer the Kyuubi got to Konoha, that it was the only option."

"There was a problem, however. Well, a few of them, really. The first was that Minato wasn't exactly sure if the stomach of the death god could actually hold the extremely powerful soul of the Kyuubi, being that the Kyuubi was one of the strongest Bijou in existence, and its own power rivaled that of the deity of hell himself. The second problem, was that if the death god couldn't hold the soul of the Kyuubi, what could? It was an almost hopeless situation, and it was only a day before the Kyuubi was to attack that he was able to come up with the answer." Sarutobi steeled his expression, and steepled his hands on his desk at this, readying himself for the last part of the story that thus far, had captivated his audience.

"He came up with the idea of the Jinchuuriki…you. While Shinigami might not have been able to actively hold the Kyuubi, a human container, with the proper seals, could. At first, we were disbelieving…after all, humans weren't nearly as powerful as the Shinigami, and the idea of a human being able to hold a bijou that the death god could not was almost preposterous. However, Minato explained it very succinctly. The stomach of the death god would be forced to hold _all_ of the Kyuubi, whereas a human container would simply be containing the Kyuubi's soul and power, while the body was given up. Essentially, this meant that while the power was still there, the means by which to channel it effectively was not. Power in and of itself is great, but without a means by which to use it, it becomes useless. The idea behind the Jinchuuriki was to give that person the soul and the power of the Bijou, and allow that person and that person alone, to have jurisdiction over that power. The Bijou, of course, would remain alive, and have the actual power that they had once wielded, but the only way in which they could actually _channel_ that power, was either to, or with the permission of, you. When the Jinchuuriki eventually died, the power of the Human soul and spirit, which have much more power than anyone gives them credit for, would then be used to kill off the soul of the Bijou, completely erasing that Bijou from existence."

Naruto allowed this to soak in for a moment, while Sarutobi paused to refill his pipe. The very idea was absolutely mind blowing, and if it weren't for the fact that he was currently living as a testament to it working, he wouldn't have ever believed that it would work. It was at this point that Naruto truly began to think of his father as a genius…only someone with a staggering intellect and ability of forethought would really be able to pull something like that off. He was brought back to reality as the Hokage sat back down, and after taking a puff on his pipe, started again.

"The only problem with any of this was that because of the sealing processes used, unless it was used on a newborn, it would invariably kill the person used. This would have been fine, except that if the vessel were to be killed too soon, the sealing process wouldn't have enough time to mature, and it would fail, completely allowing the sealed Bijou to re-emerge, defeating the purpose of the jutsu in the first place. A newborn baby was still pliable enough to allow something like a sealing jutsu to take, as is evidenced by the impression seal. This meant that a newborn baby had to be sacrificed to this fate, without having any sort of choice in the matter. It was only a short time before Minato and Misao both made the decision that you, Naruto, were to be the one to be sealed."

"It was easily the hardest decision either of them had ever made. Not only would Minato be dying, but you, their son, would be cursed to the fate of being a Jinchuuriki, and even though they hoped beyond hope that the village would see you as a hero, they were realists in the end. Because of this, Minato spent the entire last day he had alive devoting himself to finding various seals that would allow you to work in symbiosis with the Kyuubi, making you as powerful as possible, and hopefully giving you an easier life. He also fervently believed that the Kyuubi was not truly evil for some reason, which no one really understood. I only recently did any research into it, but I'd much rather the Kyuubi told you that, then me." Naruto gave a small internal nudge to the fox, and he got the equivalent of a 'we'll talk later' from the vixen. Temporarily shrugging it off, he returned his focus to the Hokage's dialogue.

The Hokage sighed slightly, and his eyes became downcast. "In the end, there were exactly seventy different seals Minato planned on using on you, ranging from a multitude of singular suppression seals, to the impression seal to keep you anonymous, as well as a number of chakra-flow seals and other seals that to be honest, I'm not entirely sure of myself. It was shortly after your father's research was completed that the Kyuubi finally met the walls of Konoha, and at almost that exact moment, your mother went into labor."

"The ninja of Konoha rushed out to meet the Kyuubi, mostly just to delay it. Your mother's labor was thankfully short, and as soon as you were born, you were rushed to a room below the Hokage tower, where Minato began writing out the various sealing kanji to be used on you. It took him a total of 2 hours to complete the kanji, and by that time your mother had recovered, at least somewhat, from the ordeal of giving birth. With one final goodbye to you, your father rushed out to the battlefield, unawares that your mother had also gone to the battlefield to try to save lives. After this, it's basically as your history lessons indicate. Your father rode out on Gamabunta, used the Shiki Fuujin, and then before he died, he transferred the soul and power of the Kyuubi into you, activating the other seals around you at the same time. The process itself took only about an hour, and then…it was done. The Kyuubi was 'dead', you held what remained thereof, and your mother…"

Sarutobi shook his head and got a glazed over look on his face. "We never recovered your mother's body. As near as we know, she was killed while attempting to evacuate a load of wounded from the battle zone. Apparently there were witnesses to your mother's death…and she was declared as such shortly after the battle. At the time, there was a rumor that the Yondaime had a son, and that boosted morale for a little while, but because of his last wishes, I was forced to dispel that rumor, and tell them all that while the Yondaime had indeed had a son, you had been killed, even though you weren't. It was shortly after that that you were 'announced' as the container of the Kyuubi. It was a calculated risk…either they would see you as a hero, or they'd curse you…obviously, they didn't see you as the hero as your father and mother wanted, and I was forced to make the rule to forbid them from speaking of it. It was truly the saddest day the leaf has ever endured." Sarutobi shook his head ruefully and both Iruka and Kakashi had a stern look on their face. The atmosphere was…in a word, solemn.

Naruto simply sat there, allowing himself the luxury of absorbing all of the information that he had been presented with. It was the stuff of tragic plays, not real life. He slumped in his seat and thought one thing.

_I have no family left alive…I'm all alone…completely alone…_

The Hokage took that moment to do what he does best. Give Naruto hope.

"Naruto…I know this is a lot to take in. But…if it's any consolation, there are things left for you to remember your parents by. They cared about you deeply, Naruto. More than you could ever know. They knew that you would have a hard life…as such, they gave me dispense to see to it that when I believed you were ready, you were to inherit their legacy." Naruto's eyes widened slightly at this, and Kakashi's choked gasp was the only way that you could tell he was startled.

The Hokage walked around his table to a small safe hidden behind a picture frame, and opened it, revealing a small set of keys in his hands. He walked to his intercom, and signaled to his secretary to cancel anything that he might have scheduled for the rest of the day, and motioned to Naruto to stand and follow him.

"Naruto, I believe that you are ready."

-----------------------------------------------------

A/N: I know that there's no action yet…I really need to explain this stuff, though. Bear with me. It becomes necessary later on in the story. Forgive me if the explanation seems clipped…I ran out of juice near the end. Sleep is such a tedious and useless thing.

As always, please review and let me know what I'm doing right, and what I'm doing wrong. It really, really helps. Thanks!


	3. Inheritance and Redemption

Last chapter of descriptions, I swear. I'll even put a sliver of action into this thing, if it's the last thing I do.

Also, if you're planning on the pairings coming to fruition any time soon, you might want to dispel that particular thought. I'll have _hints_ here and there, but there won't be any meaningful relationship stuff until I hit the Chuunin Exams and the preps thereof.

Also…there are references to certain parts of religion in this story. I'm not pushing the virtues of Christianity; far from it…I'm simply using it as a basis to move the story on, and as a believable premise. You don't have to worry about me going all religious and shit on you.

On with the story.

I _still_ don't own Naruto. Fuck.

--------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

The Hokage was being ambiguous again. Naruto _hated_ when the old man was ambiguous. It meant that either Naruto was in for a great surprise, or there was something seriously wrong. Naruto doubted that there was anything _wrong_ at the moment, aside from his entire life being turned upside down and unceremoniously _fucked up_, and that left him with the assumption that he was in for a surprise. Perhaps a good one, perhaps a bad one, but if there was one thing that Naruto hated, it was fucking _surprises_, and obviously the Hokage was trying to make whatever this was, a _huge_ surprise. Damn it.

He had been walking through Konoha now for a good 10 minutes at a leisurely pace, flanked on either side by Iruka and Kakashi, with the Hokage leading the way. This has produced various reactions from villagers who had spied the procession, ranging from respect of the Hokage and outright ignoring Naruto, or simply a glare at Naruto, which, to date, had earned about 10 different villagers intense killing-intent laced stares from his 3 'bodyguards'. It was an interesting feeling, being stuck up for…he wasn't sure if he hated it because he hated being protected, or if he loved it because he liked having people that stuck up for him. It was certainly an interesting conundrum.

Of course, there were the few that actually gave Naruto a smile or at the very least, a nod of the head. Naruto mentally added those people to the list of people that he would protect if it came down to it. He would be a ninja for those that accepted him, not for those who didn't. To Naruto, it was just that simple.

It was then that a particularly inebriated villager decided to get made an example of.

"Oi, deeemon braaat…c'mere you, I got somethin' –hic- for ya!" He was probably in his 40's, and he certainly looked as though he hadn't bathed for months…probably used all his available money to buy booze, Naruto surmised.

The other particular thing of interest was that he was unzipping his fly, and looked as though he was making to 'relieve' himself on Naruto. This proved to be his undoing.

Before Naruto had a chance to blink, Kakashi had pinned the idiot to an adjacent wall, and he noticed that Kakashi's forehead protector seemed to be uncovering his hidden eye, giving the drunk an unobstructed view of what exactly made 'copy-nin Kakashi' such a feared name. He also noticed that Iruka had a kunai out, and even the Hokage looked pissed.

Naruto couldn't exactly make out what was being said, but after about 15 seconds, he heard a blood-curdling scream from the drunk, before he slumped over. Kakashi dropped him from the wall, and casually strolled back to Naruto's side, as they began to move forward once again.

"Um…Kakashi-sensei, what exactly did you do to him?" Naruto was curious. Not exactly because he cared for the drunk…not at all. He simply wanted to learn whatever technique the grey haired Jounin had used for himself. Whatever it was, it seemed to be powerful.

Kakashi gazed down at Naruto, with his forehead protector once again covering his left eye, before shrugging and turning his head back to looking in front of him. "Just a particularly nasty Genjutsu that made him believe that he had lost something very near and dear to every man."

Naruto, Iruka and the Hokage all simultaneously let a small shiver overtake them, before making a mental note never to get Kakashi angry at them. Genjutsu or not, the trauma from losing one's own 'mini-me' was enough to make even the hardest of Nin go into mental breakdown. Naruto shivered again.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei…can I learn that Genjutsu? Oh, and what did it have to do with you uncovering your left eye?" He was genuinely serious about learning the Jutsu, and he was also curious as to what exactly was under Kakashi's forehead protector that related to Genjutsu.

Kakashi seemed to stutter in his step ever so slightly, before regaining his lazy gait and shrugging again, while pulling out his trusty orange-covered book from his shuriken pouch. "Well, I suppose you _could_ learn that jutsu at some point…as to what's under my forehead protector…I'll show you later." Naruto seemed to be satisfied with that response, and turned back to facing the Hokage's back, before becoming increasingly curious as to what exactly was in that orange book.

Unbeknownst to Kakashi, who was currently letting forth a slight perverted giggle; Naruto had created a Kage Bunshin and had it Henge into a small fox. Its mission was to hop on Kakashi's shoulder and grab the little orange book, before retreating to the safety of Naruto's own shoulder and dispersing itself. Whatever that book was, it served to make Kakashi giggle profusely. He wondered what exactly could make the normally stoic looking Nin _giggle_…he figured that it had to be something particularly good to have that effect on such a Nin as Kakashi.

The fox-Naruto hopped up on Kakashi's shoulders, and using it's teeth, it snapped at the orange book, almost grabbing it, if it weren't for Kakashi unceremoniously punching the henge'd Kage Bunshin square on it's little fox head, dispelling it as easily as someone might squish a bug. Naruto was peeved for a moment, before realizing that he now, somehow, had in his head a small passage that his Kage Bunshin had managed to read from Kakashi's book. Naruto was somewhat distracted by the words that were now running through his head, but the Kyuubi wasn't as easily distracted. She started fervently working on analyzing exactly what this meant.

"…_but…I'm a virgin, Akira!" She exclaimed while trying to cover her particularly large assets from the now hungrily advancing man in front of her. "I know, and that's what makes this so much more exiting!" He grabbed one of her unusually large breasts and began kneading it softly while his hand gradually made its way to a…lower…area..._

Without warning, Naruto stopped in the middle of the street, a blush that would make a tomato jealous now adorning his whiskered cheeks. The Hokage, Iruka and Kakashi all stopped to look at Naruto with puzzled expressions, while Naruto's own mind began furiously trying to reboot. Contrary to popular belief, Naruto wasn't nearly as naïve about sex as people thought he was…after all, it required a large amount of 'research' to create the Orioke no Jutsu, and his 'sex ed' as it were came almost exclusively from his experiences thereof.

After about 30 seconds of Naruto not moving, Iruka began to actually get worried. He began walking over to the now only semi-conscious Naruto, before Naruto seemed to shake himself from his daze, and set his own gaze on the cyclopean Jounin.

"Kakashi-sensei…you really _are_ a pervert, aren't you?" Naruto watched as Kakashi's own eye widened, as Iruka shot a death glare at him. The Hokage seemed to be simply _amused_.

Kakashi's own visage seemed to set itself into one of amusement rather quickly, however. "Oh ho ho…do you like my book, Naruto? I can get you a copy, although, it's technically illegal…" Kakashi had a faked pensive look on his face, and he started tapping his chin, as if debating the merits of giving a twelve year old a pornographic novel.

As a testament to Naruto's increased mental prowess, however, he quickly put Kakashi in his place.

"Sure. Just have it delivered to my apartment or something." Naruto had responded without missing a beat, and was now just as casually strolling along the path, leaving a half-stunned, half amused Kakashi, a gaping Iruka and a chuckling yet exasperated Hokage in his wake.

"We'll have none of that…although, it _is_ a good book…perhaps I can lower the age needed to buy such things…I _am_ the Hokage…" Sarutobi had the same faked pensive look on his face, and Kakashi joined him, both debating the merits of lowering the age of buying smut to twelve. Needless to say, Iruka was just standing there, doing a rather interesting imitation of a fish, before the Hokage and Kakashi seemed to giggle to each other conspiratorially and resume their positions on either side of Naruto. It had been a rather…interesting…diversion, Naruto decided.

Before he could truly decide if he should be walking down the path of the pervert, a particularly feminine voice made itself known in his mind. **_'If you enjoy being fertile, I would advise you not to become a pervert."_** Kyuubi sounded particularly peeved. Naruto decided that he rather liked his ability to procreate, and gave what amounted to a frantic nodding of the head to the Kyuubi, signifying his _fervent_ acceptance of terms. One couldn't be too careful when it came to his…_equipment_.

'**_Good. Now, while you were playing horn dog, I was busy analyzing the effects of the Kage Bunshin in regards to how you were able to discern what was in the book through the Kage Bunshin's eyes. If I'm correct…and I am…this has incredible implications for both training and learning."_** At the word 'training', Naruto perked up considerably. He allowed himself to zone slightly, simply willing his body to go to autopilot behind the Hokage, and let his consciousness float down to the Kyuubi's 'prison', if you could really call it that anymore.

He found himself standing in the meadow he had created, watching as a much smaller version of Kyuubi in fox form was chasing a rather imaginary rabbit. Kyuubi was playing with, and stalking the rabbit, which seemed to be scared shitless. At the last moment, the rabbit hopped left when it should have hopped right, and the Kyuubi caught it deftly in her mouth. Seconds after that, however, the rabbit simply disappeared. Kyuubi gave what amounted to the fox's equivalent of a disappointed pout, before finally realizing that Naruto was standing with a rather amused expression on his face, looking directly at her. In a puff of smoke, she reverted to her human form, an embarrassed blush adorning her face.

"**Heh…I may be trapped in here, but…instincts and all that…"** She was scratching the back of her head in Naruto's own fashion, and Naruto bust out laughing, nearly falling on the ground. The idea of a fifty story tall demon fox chasing rabbits in a meadow was just…_hilarious_, he decided. After a few minutes, Naruto noticed that the Kyuubi had fixed him with a particularly potent 'evil glare', and by pure force of will, he stopped himself from laughing, clearing his throat and eventually managing to look at Kyuubi without resuming his laughing fit.

"**Right then. Basically what I've figured out boils down to the fact that whatever your Kage Bunshin experiences during its 'lifetime'…you too experience once the Bunshin has been dispelled. This means that if you have a few thousand Kage Bunshin practicing a technique, or training speed, or…whatever…for an hour, then when you dispel those Kage Bunshin, it becomes as though you have been training for a few thousand hours, within the span of an hour. Surely you can understand the implications…"** Kyuubi trailed off, seeing that Naruto's own expression was one of intense thought. She allowed herself a small smirk. Getting used to the idea of Naruto actually _thinking_ was going to be interesting.

In reality, Naruto was thinking about all of the possibilities that this opened up to him. A technique that ostensibly would take years to learn, could be learned in the space of a few months, if not shorter…he could drastically increase his speed, his stamina, his strength, his technique…everything…in a much, _much_ shorter amount of time. He could train for a few weeks, and have it come out as if he was training for an entire year. It was certainly an interesting proposition.

"Can you imagine a few thousand 'me's' bombarding the Konoha Archive and reading all the books in there in the space of a week or so? If they are sick of one of me, they'll be absolutely livid at three thousand of me." Naruto couldn't help but cackled slightly at the idea of the villagers having to put up with thousands of him. It would be almost comical if it weren't so tragic that he was hated _that_ much.

"**Indeed. That's not a bad idea actually. I may be a font for certain sorts of information, but there is bits and pieces of information that you won't be able to learn from me that you'll have to get from the Konoha library. Being able to read most of the contents of the entire archive may be…beneficial."** Kyuubi seemed to be thoughtful for a second, before reverting her gaze to Naruto, and getting a look of almost annoyance on her face. Naruto was temporarily baffled.

"**Speaking of _me_, is there a reason why you haven't summoned me yet? I may like it in here, but it's a far cry from being out _there_."** Kyuubi had adopted an irritated pose, and her expression had dimmed considerably.

"Well…I haven't really asked anyone about the hand seals for the Kuchiyose yet. I'll do that when I get out of here." Naruto hoped that placated the female fox in front of him…he knew from prior experience how…_violent_…those of the female gender could be when they didn't get something they wanted.

"**You had better. In fact…"** Kyuubi got a look of concentration on her face for a moment, before Naruto had to fight off a slight wave of dizziness, and realized that he was once again back in the real world. He got a slight mental nudge from the Kyuubi telling him to ask one of the Nin that was currently walking with him what the seals were. Naruto knew better than to ignore the mental prodding.

"…um…Hokage-ojisan…I was wondering…can you tell me what the hand seals are for the Kuchiyose no Jutsu?" Naruto watched as the Hokage stiffened for a moment, before stopping and turning around to face him. His visage was slightly confused, as well as worried.

"Naruto, why on earth do you need to know the hand seals for the Kuchiyose?" Kakashi and Iruka both had confused looks on their faces as well, and he vaguely wondered if they had forgotten his explanation already. He also noticed that they had reached a much less populated area of Konoha…they were about a mile from the Hyuuga compound, if he estimated correctly. He couldn't make out even one soul other than the three he was with within the general area.

"Well, remember when I told you that I signed the Kitsune contract?" Sarutobi nodded and took the pipe out of his mouth. "Well, I just wanted to keep…my end of the bargain." He noticed that the old man looked confused for a moment, before a slightly frightened expression formed on his face. Naruto vaguely wondered if perhaps the old man would forbid him from keeping his end of things.

His fears were quickly dispelled. "Naruto…if you trust her…then I suppose I should trust her, as well. Although…no one, outside the three of us, is to know who she _really_ is. You'll have to think up a back-story for her, and even a fake name." Naruto nodded slightly before Sarutobi sighed slightly and relented. "Boar, dog, bird, monkey, and sheep."

Naruto nodded and performed the hand seals, before biting his thumb and smearing the blood on his right hand. He slammed his hand onto the ground and with a slightly subdued voice, said; "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Kyuubi no Kitsune!"

Not a split second after he had said the name of the jutsu, a cloud of smoke rose from the spot where his hand had been, and obscured their vision. Naruto felt a…tugging…sensation from his mind, and felt a connection develop with something that was still enshrouded in the mist. His mind registered that he had to give that something an amount of chakra, and almost subconsciously, he directed his 'secondary' chakra to the entity in the mist…he made sure not to give it any more than what a beginning academy student might have, judging that the 'something' in the mist, was most likely Kyuubi.

His suspicions were proven correct, as the smoke cleared away, revealing a corporeal version of the Kyuubi in her human form; exactly as Naruto remembered her. While Naruto was not shocked, the other three in his procession most certainly were. Iruka had a look somewhere between shock and rage registered on his face, while Kakashi's own visible eye was glaring daggers at the vixen in front of him. Only the Hokage showed anything other than contempt; an expression signifying neutrality, or as close to it as you can get, making its way onto his elderly face.

Before she could say anything, Kakashi stepped forward, along with Iruka, making an almost threatening gesture with their body's postures. Again, with the same subconscious nudge, Naruto attempted to send more chakra through to Kyuubi through the link, but was surprised to find that she couldn't take more than a very small amount before something in his mind tripped that she was 'full'. Naruto pondered this new development for only a moment, before taking action.

With speed that he didn't quite know he possessed, he grabbed onto the Kyuubi's shoulder, pulling her backwards behind him, while himself taking a posture with a Kunai in hand, to defend her. Iruka's reaction was one of surprise, while Kakashi's was closer to frustration. Naruto himself simply strengthened his posture, while tightening his grip on his Kunai. If Kakashi wanted Kyuubi, he would be forced to go through _him_.

Kyuubi on the other hand, was astonished. She had anticipated that the Hokage and the other two with him would be…less than friendly towards her, but she had not at all anticipated Naruto's reaction. She had expected him to maybe verbally defend her, or simply allow her to defend herself…but she never in all her musings had she thought that Naruto himself would _physically_ defend her. It was an odd sensation. On one hand, she was furious that she was unable to defend herself, but on the other hand, it felt…nice…to have someone there to defend her in her stead. She never even noticed that she had blushed rather profusely.

Before the situation could get any closer to the breaking point, the Hokage stepped in. "That's ENOUGH! Kakashi, stand down…Naruto, put your Kunai away. We're all friends here, remember?" The tension in the air was palpable, and it was only defused by Kakashi backing down from his threatening posture, and Naruto stowing his Kunai. The two locked eyes…and eye…for a moment, before both returning their gaze to the Hokage. Sarutobi simply sighed, muttering something close to, 'I'm getting too old for this shit'.

"We can deal with any…animosity…once we get to our destination. For now, what say we simply make our way there, without any more diversions, eh?" Iruka simply nodded his head curtly and resumed walking, while Kakashi did nothing but stow his hands in his pockets and speed up so that he was ahead of Naruto. Naruto resumed walking behind the Hokage, making sure to keep himself between Kakashi and Kyuubi at all times. Kyuubi herself was making sure to keep herself as close to Naruto as possible. Needless to say, the atmosphere remained…tense…and no one spoke for the rest of the trip.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

It took them only about another fifteen minutes of walking to reach their destination, and Naruto himself was surprised when they had reached the general area of the Hyuuga estates. He was increasingly surprised when they arrived at the doorstep of a rather large house, directly adjacent to the Hyuuga compound.

Before Naruto could voice his questions, however, Sarutobi produced the same set of keys that he had taken out of the safe from one of his pockets. He proceeded to unlock the front door, and with a gentle push, the large oak door swung open. Sarutobi stood back, and made an ushering gesture to him, all the while maintaining an almost mischievous smile on his face.

The second he stepped through the threshold, he couldn't help but gasp.

The first chamber of the house was magnificent. The floor was a finely polished and stained wooden affair, giving the room an immediate 'home' type quality. In the middle of the room was an ornate oriental styled rug, with various dragons seeming to coil around the tapestry, giving it an almost ethereal quality. The walls were paneled oak, stained to be a slightly darker color than normal oak. On the walls hung various famous paintings, interspersed so not as to be too _full_ in the room.

On the far wall sat a large fireplace, and on top of the mantle sat a sheathed Katana, roughly five feet total in length, with a fine cloth wrapped hilt that made up for at least a foot and a half of the total length. The sheath was black, with a coiling red dragon surrounding it, and the curve of the blade suggested that it was a Samurai styled Katana rather than a Ninja styled straight edge. The hand guard was jet black, in contrast with the white ivory cloth of the handle. Underneath the Katana sat a slightly smaller version thereof, only about 4 feet in total length, but with the same coloring and design. It too was curved in a Samurai fashion, giving them a grace that drew the eye rather nicely.

On the ceiling there was a rather simple chandelier that brightly lit the room, along with the help of two west facing windows that allowed the sunlight to flow in freely. There was a cloth draped couch and what looked to be various recliners situated to either side of it, all of them facing the fireplace and the rug. All in all, it was a tremendously inviting scene, and it served to make Naruto almost misty eyed.

Naruto realized that he had been standing there for a few moments, and the Hokage was looking at him with a tremendously warm smile, while Kakashi and Iruka both had the same general reaction that Naruto did. Before Naruto could ask the Hokage whose house this was, Sarutobi motioned for Naruto follow him once again, and they passed a threshold into what was the largest kitchen Naruto had ever been in.

It had all the regular appliances of a normal kitchen, and the entire room seemed to be bathed in whites and beiges. The countertops were a beige marble, while the floor was a white marble. There was a massive refrigerator on the left of the room, and a large assortment of kitchen appliances on the right, including a huge stove, a microwave oven, convection oven, and deep fryer. He took special notice of the rather large liquor cabinet adjacent to the refrigerator, wondering just who kept so much liquor in their house.

From the kitchen, they passed into a rather large dining room that seemed to be made for quite a few people. The table was long and narrow, and was lined on either side by plush chairs that resembled the recliners in the living room. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, once again brightly illuminating the room, and the design was very similar to the living room. The dining room segued into a much less formal living room setting, replete with an entertainment center with a large television and sound system, and a very large, curved and plushy couch that looked as though it was made for quite a few people. The room's décor was much less formal, no fancy paintings or fireplace, but the floor and walls were made of the same wooden combination, and the light in the room came from a very similar chandelier, although slightly dimmer than the one in the main living room.

They then ascended a set of curved, wide stairs to the second story of the house. The stairwell turned into a hallway, with ten doors on either side. One door seemed much further away from the other doors than the rest of them, and Naruto surmised that it was the master bedroom. They passed all of these rooms, and found another staircase, leading to the third floor. When Naruto reached the third floor, he nearly face-faulted as there was nothing there but a small hallway leading to a door. The Hokage strode up to the door, casually opening it, showing Naruto what the third floor really was.

He came out on the roof of the house, which overlooked most of Konoha. On either side of him were various types of patio furniture, along with, of all things, a small garden bed, which seemed to have all sorts of flowers and various foliage growing from it. It gave a grand view of Konoha and the rest of the estate, as well. Naruto noticed that the rest of the estate seemed to be rather large…probably close to 20 acres of forested and cleared area. In some of the clearings, there were training dummies and obstacle courses, and in some of the more forested areas, there seemed to be small trails leading through them, almost looking as though there was a large trail covering the entirety of the 'back yard'. He also noticed that closer to the house, there was a second building, with a small steam stack. He assumed that it was a personal onsen. Whoever lived here was quite rich.

With that, the tour was over, and the Hokage led the procession back downstairs to the main living room, motioning them all to take a seat wherever they wanted. Naruto and Kyuubi winded up on a two-seat couch, while Kakashi and Iruka ended up in recliners. The Hokage took his seat on the couch. Silence hung for a moment, before Naruto dared break it.

"Wow…this is an awesome house. Oji-san, who lives here?" With that, the Hokage seemed to chuckle slightly, and Kyuubi gave him an almost incredulous look, uttering her first words since being summoned out into the real world.

(A/N: While Kyuubi is corporeal, I will not be putting her dialogue into bold. Doesn't seem right.)

"You haven't figured it out yet? The Hokage said that you were 'inheriting your parent's legacy'…and then we came here. Think about it for a minute." Kyuubi's voice was the same alto tone it was inside the seal, and everyone besides Naruto was slightly stunned to hear that her voice wasn't some booming all-powerful voice that they thought it was.

Naruto did take a moment to think it over, before it clicked. His expression was one of tremendous astonishment, and his mouth began to curve upwards into a large, beaming, genuine smile.

"This…this was my father's house, wasn't it? You said I was inheriting their legacy…" Naruto looked as though he was almost about to tear up in joy before the Hokage smiled warmly at Naruto and pulled the pipe out of his mouth.

"Yes, Naruto. This was your father's house." Sarutobi paused for a moment, taking a puff on his pipe. It seemed as if he was relishing this moment for all it was worth. "And now, Naruto…it is _your_ house." Naruto gaped for a moment, before promptly fainting for the second time that day. The last thing he heard was the slight giggle of Kyuubi, and Iruka saying "Not again!"

----------------------------------------------------

Naruto had only fainted three times in his lifetime. The first was when he was six. He had just learned from 'the old man', that not only was he going to be enrolled in the Ninja Academy, but he was getting his own apartment as well. The shock from the overwhelming joy he had been feeling at the time was enough to make him faint, for the first, and he had hoped, the last time in his life.

The second time was when his mother's name had been revealed. This had been only a few hours before, and hearing that he was an _Uchiha_ was enough to make him faint for the second, and he hoped, last time.

This would make the third. He had just been given a grand tour of a house that by any standards rivaled that of even the most prestigious citizen in Konoha. To top that off, he had just found out that said house was not only his father's old house, but was now, by rights of inheritance, _his_ house. For a boy of twelve years, this information, especially considering the relatively shitty tenement he had lived in before, was enough to make him faint for his third and hopefully LAST time. It was by some stroke of luck that he managed to come to only a minute or two later.

For some reason, the information given to him over the last day and a half was just now catching up to him. He supposed that he had simply been numb to it all before. After all, he had been living in a virtual hell for twelve years of his life, and within the span of about 36 hours, that 'hell' had been dampened considerably. He was a different person. He knew his parents. He knew of the Kyuubi. He was to be _trained_ by the Kyuubi. He had the possibility of developing the Sharingan. He had a _house_…

A smile…a _genuine_ smile adorned his face. Normally, his smiles were forced. He had long ago practiced and mastered the art of putting up a mask…an impenetrable emotional wall that nothing could break. His entire life had been lived under the shadow of a mask and under the stigma of a seal…_multiple_ seals, if truth be told. In the space of a relatively small amount of time, that mask, along with one of the seals, had been shattered. He had ceased to be the orange-wearing freak that smiled all the time and wallowed in his own personal hell. He was becoming…something different. He had an opportunity now, the ability, the means, the will, and the know-how, to become something _different_. It was…refreshing. It was incredible. It was enough to make Uzumaki Naruto smile the first _genuine_ smile that he had truly ever smiled in quite some time. It felt _good_.

The occupants of the room that he was currently in noticed it as well. Iruka was truly happy for the boy. In the short amount of time that he had known Naruto…_really_ known Naruto…he had come to know that rarely did the boy smile because he was happy. This smile…it shown with mirth and a genuine happiness that he had seen on Naruto's face only a handful of times. It was truly a sight to behold.

Kakashi hadn't really known the boy that long…true, he had saved the boy from angry mobs before, and even, on certain occasions, given the boy fruits and vegetables to eat when it was obvious that he was being malnourished…but in his time in ANBU, he really hadn't gotten the opportunity to know the boy any better than he did now. It didn't take a genius to know, however, that his smiles, up until now, were forced, and that this one, truly was _not_. It was enough to make Kakashi want to get to know Uzumaki…wait…

"Uh…Hokage-sama…I think we forgot to tell him something." Kakashi was just now realizing that if everything he had been told was true, then calling Naruto an 'Uzumaki' was…well…untrue.

"Oh? And what might that be, Kakashi-san?" The Hokage was truly confused…what could they have possibly managed to forget?

"Well…if my Sensei was truly Naruto's father…then…doesn't that mean that his last name…" He didn't want to just blurt it out…he would leave that for the Hokage to do.

Sarutobi came to a sudden realization, a slightly embarrassed look flashing across his face. He had forgotten, after all of these years, that Yondaime-kun's name was _not_ Uzumaki.

Naruto, apparently, had picked up on their conversation. "Wait, what's this about my last name now? If you want me to start calling myself _Uchiha_, forget it." Naruto really didn't want to be seen as one of those stuck up fuck-wads. As he had said before, Sasuke was an OK person, but he was still a douche bag.

The Hokage chuckled for a moment, before setting his gaze on Naruto's own confused visage. "No, nothing like that, Naruto. Kakashi was simply saying that your last name truly is _not_ 'Uzumaki'. That was the family name of a woman who your father was close to, much like a sister, when he was young. He thought it fitting, at the time, to give you that name, as you could obviously neither use Uchiha, or _his_ real last name. It was the closest name to true family that you could get. Unfortunately, she fell out of contact with your father shortly after he became Hokage."

Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe. "Your father's _real_ last name was Namikaze. This, of course, makes _your_ real name, Namikaze Naruto." Naruto looked nonplussed at that admission from the Hokage, but his expression schooled itself soon after.

"Namikaze Naruto eh…interesting. I can assume that you don't want me going around calling myself that, right?" Naruto was a bit anxious to be rid of his old lifestyle, but secrecy was still a need, at least until he could suitably defend himself from all of his father's old enemies.

The Hokage nodded and got a slight stern look on his face. "Indeed. Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime, was well known, and well liked through out the majority of the village. With your…reputation…going around calling yourself 'Namikaze Naruto' would undoubtedly bring trouble that neither you or I need right now. In fact, all of the information that you have been made privy to in the last few days is to remain as classified as possible. There are some people that you can tell…for instance; your father was good friends with Hyuuga Hiashi, your next door neighbor. He was also rather good friends with the person that made those swords on the mantle, the Higurashi family. Over and above that, simply use your best discretion, but err on the side of secrecy." Naruto's own serious demeanor seemed to indicate that he readily accepted the old man's words…it wouldn't do to have him find out about his family, only to have his family's enemies come and kill him, after all.

The Hokage took a puff on his pipe, and then turned to Naruto again, this time with a more subdued and caring gaze. "As I was saying, however, before you fainted on us…again" Naruto had the grace to look sheepish. "…this residence was your father's house. He believed in a minimalist approach to living, most of the time anyway…hence why the house isn't something sprawling like the Hyuuga compound, or a small city, like the Uchiha complex. It's simply a house, with a lot of free space in the back yard, and enough living quarters for 10-20 people." Naruto looked slightly awed at that part…his apartment barely had living quarters for _one_…this would certainly be an interesting change.

"This house also has another level that…well…none of us can enter, save for you, those you allow, and those of your blood. The basement, if you can call it that, is sealed off completely. No one and I mean it, _no one_, aside from those who have given a portion of blood to the master security seal in the basement, can pass into the basement without being assaulted by various traps and fatal Ninjutsu." At this, the Hokage seemed to get serious, as if the situation wasn't serious before.

"The reason for this is two fold. The first is that the basement is the repository of all of the Jutsu that Minato learned and collected in his travels across the countries, in scroll form. This includes his own personal jutsu as well, which are extremely powerful in their own right. The second reason is that the basement is home to a rather…complete…library of various tidbits of information from the world. Books on ancient history, lost technologies, weapons schematics…some of the most sensitive information in the world is in the basement of this house, and because of that, the security on the basement is absolutely second to none. The security on the Hokage tower is nothing compared to the raw amount of traps and Ninjutsu waiting for you if you try to break into the basement of this house." Naruto's jaw was rather close to being unhinged…Iruka and Kakashi both had an extremely astonished, yet serious look on their face.

It was Iruka that spoke first. "Hokage-sama…I understand what you're saying about the basement of this house…but shouldn't Naruto wait a few years before going down there? If the information is as sensitive as you say, then…for someone who perhaps can't understand it…" He trailed off, but his message was clear. He was worried about Naruto possibly hurting himself with the information contained in the basement. It was very typical of Iruka and one of the reasons why Naruto trusted Iruka implicitly. No matter what he did or said, you _knew_ that he had the best interests of Naruto in mind.

The Hokage just seemed to chuckle slightly. "No need to worry, Iruka-kun. Most, if not all of that information is sealed in such a way that it takes more sealing knowledge than Naruto possesses to unveil them. By the time he _does_ know enough to unwrap them, he should be old enough to understand them, as well as understand their importance." Iruka still seemed worried, but he did look as though the Hokage's reassurances did just that…reassure him.

Naruto was curious about a few things, though. "So…there are a lot of jutsu down there, in scrolls, just waiting to be learned, right? Those aren't sealed up, right?" He was hoping beyond hope that the Jutsu in the basement library were open to him.

The Hokage chuckled at Naruto's eagerness to learn, and shook his head ever so slightly. "The most powerful of the jutsu _are_ sealed up…you won't be able to learn them for quite some time. However, most of the Genin, Chuunin, and some Jounin level jutsu are completely open for learning…if I remember correctly, your father's personal jutsu are not sealed, either. Although, with all of the Jutsu downstairs, it could take you decades to learn them all. I would start small and work your way up." Naruto looked almost put out for a moment, before he brightened considerably.

"Oh, yeah, I wouldn't worry about that. My training methods should allow me to learn a few lower level jutsu a day, and a higher level jutsu in a few days…hell, I should be able to master most of the Jounin level jutsu after a few months." The three Nin in the room were gawking openly at him after this bold statement, and for good reason. He was talking about speeding up his training by _years_. Naruto was exaggerating, of course, but they didn't know that.

Well, they didn't until Kyuubi decided to butt in.

"You're overestimating yourself Naruto. The training technique we thought up _will_ invariably speed up your learning processes, but before you can learn any of those jutsu, you have to work on the basics first. Chakra control, stamina, speed, accuracy, strength…you have to train your body and your mind before you can train your jutsu." Naruto gave Kyuubi his best attempt at a withering look, but she just brushed it off as though it were nothing.

The Hokage regained the use of his vocal faculties first. "If I may ask…what exactly is this training technique you have thought up for yourselves that will speed up your training by such a drastic amount?" He was looking at Kyuubi now, giving her a stern look, as if daring her to say the wrong thing.

She simply smirked and waved her hand dismissively. "It's a product of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Whatever the Kage Bunshin experiences within its 'lifetime' is passed on to the original when it is dispelled, right? Well, considering that with my help, Naruto can make literally _thousands_ of Kage Bunshin at a time, it's not hard to figure out that it can be an absolute godsend when it comes to training. What would take years to learn, can be learned in the space of a month…what would take a month to learn can be learned in the space of a week. What would take a week to learn, would take a day or so, etcetera." The Hokage looked almost awestruck, something that you don't often see on the face of the strongest ninja in the village. Iruka and Kakashi both had looks of intense thought on their faces, as if trying to find deception in the Kyuubi's words.

"That is…tremendously ingenious. The ramifications of such a thing…" The Hokage trailed off, getting a thoughtful look on his face for a moment, before seeming to reach a conclusion. "But I assume that Naruto is really the only person able to do such training. No one else has access to such absolutely gigantic chakra reserves." He kept his pensive look for a few more moments, before chuckling and almost outright laughing. "Naruto…you just keep surprising me." He reached over from his spot on the couch to ruffle Naruto's hair, which gained a slightly sour look from the boy, before he gained a sheepish grin. It was touching, until Kakashi decided to speak his mind.

"Hokage-sama…you have to be aware that this could simply be a trick. There could be an unknown side effect to the Jutsu, or using _her_ chakra…before Naruto uses it, I suggest we test it in a controlled environment to assure that the Kyuubi isn't simply trying to gain her freedom." Kakashi was by this time glaring daggers at Kyuubi, who was glaring right back. At that moment, she truly wished she had access to all of her chakra.

Before Naruto could step in to defend her, the Hokage held his hand up in a gesture that Kakashi knew meant to stop what he was doing. He complied, albeit reluctantly. The Hokage seemed pensive for a moment, before gaining a serious demeanor and turning to address Kyuubi.

"Kyuubi…I have wondered…twelve years ago, Minato-kun told me that he believed you were not the 'evil demon' that people portrayed you to be. I have done some…limited…research into the subject, which has yielded some rather…interesting…results. I could elaborate on my own…or you could be so kind as to explain to all of us what exactly happened to lead up to the…events…of twelve years ago." His face was set in stone, schooled into complete neutrality…it was a look that Naruto had seen only a few times on the old man's face, and it usually was there to hide his true emotions during sensitive diplomacy. The few times he had seen that face, it had been right before someone who had been accused of hurting him had been outed as doing just that. It was the ultimate in a detectives face.

Naruto sent a mental nudge to Kyuubi, letting her know that he was ready to just tell them all to fuck off…but interestingly enough, she simply gave him what amounted to a 'shut up and listen'. He decided to do just that.

"To explain everything…I need to go back to the beginning of my existence. You see, I was not always a 'demon fox'. In fact, when I was first created, I was simply an extremely powerful…angel, I guess you could say, created by a much higher power than any of us, including myself, can comprehend. At the time, I was simply a spirit…I had no true sentience to speak of. I was simply another creation of god that did his bidding, without a thought as to the ramifications. I had no awareness, only vague memories, and no real sense of self. It was an…interesting…existence, to say the least." Here, she trailed off slightly, allowing the occupants of the room to absorb this information.

"However, something…changed. To this day, I'm not sure what it was, but I turned from a pseudo-sentient spirit, into…something much closer to what I am today. We gained sentience, we gained memories…we became individual. We also became something of a legend. I, along with eight other spirits, became what are now known as the 'Bijou'. Our purpose was ingrained into our very existence…keep the order, keep the balance. That's exactly what we did. We kept humanity in check, making sure that humans did not gain too much power, nor did they destroy themselves, or fall victim to more…malicious…forces. That was our job, for tens of thousands of years. However, to us, it seemed a much, much shorter span of time. We existed in a different way than you humans do, somewhat outside of space-time. Because of this, even if we have existed as sentient beings for thousands of years, we have only 'matured', so to speak, to the level of maybe fifty to seventy of your human years, although time doesn't have nearly the effect on us as it does you." Naruto gaped slightly at that…his perception of Kyuubi as an ancient beast were now in question. She may be 'physically' old, but mentally…he realized with a start that she was much like him in that sense. He had been forced to grow up rather quickly, gaining a potential for maturity at age twelve that many thirty year olds didn't quite possess. She on the other hand, had been alive for tens of thousands of years, and yet was only as mature as a normal fifty year old. They were both young and old in completely different, yet similar ways.

Kyuubi sighed and seemed to gain an almost defeated pose. "Of course, as happens with most creatures of power…we became arrogant. We became…insolent. We had tremendous power, immortality, and a startling amount of free reign in our actions…and yet we began to crave more. You've undoubtedly heard of the proverb, "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely"? Well…the Bijou are the very essence of that proverb. We were given almost infinite power, and most dangerously, free will. Because of this…we became corrupted. In a fit of arrogance and petulance that to this day I am ashamed of, we…" She stopped, and to Naruto's, and everyone's amazement, she wiped a tear off her cheek. She stayed quiet for a few moments, before mustering the necessary will to carry on.

"We renounced ourselves from the grace of god himself. In essence, we shirked our duties, in return for the ability to completely and totally guide our own paths…we kept our power, we kept our abilities…in essence, we became the most dangerous beings possible. Terrible power, unquenchable thirst for more power, and a free will without a developed conscience. We did whatever we wanted, when we wanted, in whatever manner we wanted to do it in. It was…fun…I suppose, but in the end, none of this gained us any _more_ power. To gain the power that we so desperately wanted…we resorted to something that eventually led to the events in Konoha. We sought out the fallen one himself." The Hokage seemed to gasp, while Iruka and Kakashi simply stared, confused. Naruto was just as confused, but he knew Kyuubi well enough to know that an explanation was forthcoming.

"The realm of Makai…hell. Residence of Satan himself. In an unrivaled act of stupidity, we believed that Satan…who himself was no more than a fallen angel, could give us power. Of course, Satan being who he is, jumped at the chance, using his power to summon us into his realm, where, over the course of about ten thousand years, proceeded to…for lack of a better word, _corrupt_ us. We had more power, yes…but at the expense of everything that made us exactly what we were. We lost our conscience, we lost our free will, and while we retained our sentience…" She trailed off, as if searching for a possible explanation.

"It was as if we were trapped in our own bodies, looking out and screaming at ourselves to stop. We knew what we were doing…we did it without question, and without any sort of hesitation. Satan could not completely purge our god given gifts of conscience, free will, and memory…what he managed to do, however, was to trap them. He used our physical manifestations against us, warping our bodies to work directly against our spirits. Before we even knew what happened, we had become physical manifestations of death, destruction, and mayhem. We had been reborn, and taught the very essence of evil…but we still retained ourselves, somewhere, within our spirits." Here, she stopped and looked at Naruto.

"I told you that I learned quite a bit about seals and whatnot 'where I came from'. That's essentially true. I was…reborn in hell. I learned all about those seals and other such things there, and I continue to retain that knowledge." Naruto gulped slightly, and nodded. It was certainly no comfort that he had a hell-born being in his belly.

Kyuubi returned her gaze to the Hokage. "After that…we were simply used. We were transported back to your realm, and used as weapons of mass destruction. Different creatures attacked different centers of humanity…I simply happened to come to Konoha." For the first time, she smiled while relaying the story. "By an act of mercy, when your Hokage used the Shiki Fuujin, my corporeal body was completely destroyed, along with all of the warped and twisted motives thereof. I was granted…freedom, even in captivity. As I am now, I am no more than a tremendously powerful spirit Kitsune. The body I am in now is a product of a chakra construct…which is why I cannot take too much chakra in this form…yet. I will live out my days with Naruto, and when he dies, I die…and inevitably, face my maker. Naruto will be wholly unaffected by my own…judgment."

"That is why I am helping Naruto. His father sacrificed his own son to give me freedom…even if it is technically imprisonment. If anything, Naruto has my help, and my training, by virtue of me being…for lack of a better term, guilty. I was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to imprisonment for life…all I can do is try to make my cell a little bit more inviting, eh?" She chuckled slightly here, before she fell quiet…allowing the occupants of the room to realize the absolute silence that permeated the room. It seemed as though no one was even breathing.

Kyuubi added her last bit of information. "I suspect that the reason your Hokage believed me to be 'not evil', as it were…is simply by deductive reasoning. The bijou were infamous…everyone knew of us…and when we disappeared, and then just as suddenly reappeared as evil pseudo demons, I believe he may have had an inkling as to what actually was going on. Of course, ten thousand years in Makai is the rough equivalent of about five years in your plane of existence…space and time are completely different when it comes to realm hopping. We were not nearly as cruel before we disappeared as we were when we came back, and I believe that the Yondaime may have had a hunch that something had happened to corrupt us…that's probably why he placed so many symbiotic seals on Naruto…he believed, correctly, that when I finally gave up on being the demon I thought I was, that I would help Naruto grow and mature. He truly was gifted when it came to forethought and preparation." Everyone in the room was stunned to silence…and even though they didn't quite understand it, it seemed as though it explained, quite well, exactly why the Yondaime had not simply sealed away the Kyuubi permanently.

Naruto was…strangely contented by the explanation from the demon…no…from the Kyuubi. It served to explain the entire situation, and it did so in a way that allowed him…closure, for lack of a better term. His parents, and truthfully, Naruto _himself_, were part of something larger than any of them could fathom…and the feeling that he couldn't do anything to change his situation was almost comforting. It gave him the ability to simply move on. Naruto smiled…and the Kyuubi smiled back, her own grin showing of gratitude. He was happy. Truly, unbelievably happy. Whoever said ignorance was bliss certainly hadn't been in his shoes.

-----------------------------------------------------------

It's amazing what information, specifically the truth, can do, Naruto contemplated. They had been sitting here for the better part of an hour after the end of Kyuubi's story, and surprisingly, both Kakashi and Iruka had…well; they had made _strides_ towards forgiving the Kyuubi for her actions. Naruto thought that perhaps, forgiveness would never completely come…but it was better than the situation they had before.

They had made small talk for the rest of the hour, discussing various things that Naruto didn't exactly need to be proactive in. His own inheritance of his father's complete estate was to be transferred into his own bank accounts as soon as the old man made it back to the tower, and apparently, it was quite sizeable. He certainly wouldn't be swimming in money, but he also wouldn't really have to worry about money at all for a few years, at the very least.

They had also discussed the swords on the mantle of the fireplace. That had been something Naruto listened to intently, as the Hokage described both swords in great detail. The larger of the two was the sword that Minato actually used, while the smaller one was used as a display piece mostly. Both of them, however, were in battle condition, ready to unsheathe and use at a moments notice. The Hokage had suggested that Naruto take the smaller of the two and use it to learn his sword style with, seeing as how the larger of the two was slightly taller than Naruto. Naruto had readily agreed, and the sword was now resting happily on Naruto's left hip, for a quick across-the-body right hand draw.

The swords didn't have any special attributes or anything…aside from the fact that all it required to repair the blade, and completely clean it, was an infusion of chakra. It didn't do much in battle, but it made maintenance much easier. The blade itself, when unsheathed, was unremarkable for a sword, but one could tell with even the slightest glance that it was a high quality blade. The blade shone with a mirror polish, and when Naruto ran his index finger across the sharpened edge, it drew blood without even a hint of pressure needing to be applied. It was tremendously well made…the first time Naruto had held it, he had noticed how incredibly well balanced it was, and that the longer than usual handle gave him much more flexibility with the blade, allowing him to shift weight and power with it much more easily. In all, it was a perfect blade for learning and using Ryuudou…Kyuubi had said as much.

Naruto was lost in some of his own thoughts, when he noticed both Kakashi and Iruka stand to leave. He stole a glance at the grandfather clock in the corner, and noted with a start that it was almost six o'clock in the evening. Time had gone quite quickly. Shifting his glance back at his visitors, he noticed Iruka walking towards him, undoubtedly to impart some morsel worldly wisdom.

"Naruto…first off…I'm glad that you believe me to be so trustworthy that you would share these things with me. I'm glad that you have your past, a family, and that you're finally getting what you deserve." Iruka paused here for a moment, before his face set itself in an almost fatherly visage. "Secondly…don't let it go to your head!" With that, Iruka gave Naruto a playful bop on the top of the head, and unceremoniously ruffled his hair. They both leaned in for an unceremonious hug, and after a few goodbyes, Iruka was out the door.

He then noticed that Kakashi was staring at him intently. "Naruto…" He trailed off, as his gaze met the floor. He couldn't believe that this guy was being _sheepish_. "Naruto…thank you for giving me a piece of my sensei back. I know that you don't want to be known just because of your father…I'm the same way…but know that if you ever need anything, you can come to me. I owe your father quite a bit…and since he isn't around anymore, that's passed on to you." Naruto gave a grin, and a nod of the head, and Kakashi's one visible eye conveyed that he was indeed smiling underneath his mask.

Before Kakashi could make his way to the door, however, Naruto thought of something. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei…you never did show me what was under your forehead protector." Kakashi seemed to be pensive for a moment, before shrugging, and lifting his forehead protector to show a fully developed Sharingan staring back at Naruto.

Naruto was stunned for a moment, before Kakashi lowered his forehead protector and smiled. "Someday, I'll teach you how to use the Sharingan, Naruto. I am, after all, the only person left in the village with an active one." Naruto gaped at Kakashi, who simply waved his hand and left with an audible 'poof'ing sound. Naruto made a mental note to learn the poof no jutsu.

Naruto's gaze once again returned to the aged Hokage standing near the stairs, and noted that he had a reminiscent smile on his face again. After a few moments, Sarutobi motioned for Naruto to follow him up the stairs, and he did so, walking up the spiral staircase in silence. They reached what Naruto thought to be the master bedroom, and with a turn of a key, Sarutobi unlocked the large oaken doors to the room that lay beyond. Naruto found his breath caught in his throat.

It was _huge_. While the house itself was quite large, he had never quite expected the master bedroom to take up so much space. The closet alone was at least three times as large as his old apartment. The room itself…Naruto didn't even want to think about how many of his apartments could fit in this thing.

The décor was very much the same as the other rooms. Warm wooden colors, with a chandelier giving off a bright shine throughout the room. A large goose down bed lay in the middle, with a bedside dresser to the left of the bed itself. Two large windows facing west allowed sunlight in, and they were both accented by beige curtains. There were a few wardrobes on either side of the room, with a dresser at the foot of the bed that had a large mirror positioned upon it. Other than that, the room itself was almost bare of accessories…minimalist indeed.

A picture caught Naruto's eye, however, and he once again gasped at what it showed. A man and a woman, standing side by side with the back yard of the house as a backdrop. The man was clothed in a Jounin vest, with a navy blue turtleneck shirt, and matching navy blue pants and ninja sandals. He had a white trench coat of sorts on, with flame decals licking at the bottom. His forehead protector rested on…his forehead…and it held back hair that was eerily similar to Naruto's own. He had a dazzlingly brilliant smile, and his arm that encircled the woman was hidden behind her lower back.

The woman was…in a word, beautiful. She had jet black hair and matching eyes, with a forehead protector that was draped on her slender neck. She wore a Chuunin vest over a flowing and too-baggy white long-sleeved shirt, along with a red pair of cargo pants, and blue ninja sandals. A band with a red cross was on her left shoulder, denoting herself to be a medical ninja. She too had a happy smile on her face and a slight red tinge on her cheeks. Her head was resting on the man's chest, and her arms were draped across his shoulders.

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to find Sarutobi smiling down at him while taking a puff on his pipe. "Those people in that picture…the man is the Yondaime, your father…the Woman is Uchiha Misao, your mother. They had me take this picture when I came over to a dinner they hosted, and it was only about a month after this that they were married." Naruto had an unquenchable smile on his face, and he turned to look back at the picture. He burned the image of his happy father and mother into his mind…he would not forget it for as long as he lived.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the Hokage sighed and patted Naruto gently on the head. "Naruto, I'm afraid I do need to get back to the Hokage tower sometime soon…undoubtedly there will be _something_ that requires my attention…" He seemed almost peeved at the concept of doing his _job_. "I'll leave you here to get situated. I'll also make sure to send a Genin team to move your belongings from your apartment over to this house…what few you have anyway. Remember that you do have a test tomorrow, so perhaps you should go to bed early to get a start on tomorrow." Naruto all but scowled at the Hokage.

"I'll have time for sleep later…it's only about six o'clock, that's enough time to go do a few things that I want to get done before tomorrow." Sarutobi was about to inquire as to what exactly he wanted to get done, but he figured that whatever it was, Naruto would be ok. He smiled down at the blonde haired boy and gave him a playful ruffle of the hair before walking over to the side of the room and pulling a mask from a drawer in the dresser.

"Before I leave…undoubtedly you've thought about the ramifications of being seen around town as you are. You went one day with minimal exposure, and from what I saw on the streets, you got some rather…interesting…attention." Naruto frowned slightly…it wasn't anything he wasn't used to but the whisker marks being more defined only served to make people either hate or fear him even more than usual.

Naruto nodded and the Hokage handed Naruto the mask. It was plain white, styled in the same fashion that ANBU masks were made in. It's only distinguishable feature were the two eye slits and two small metal…things…behind the mask on the cheeks. "That was your father's old ANBU mask. He kept it around for times that he needed or wanted to be anonymous, and it should serve you in the same general fashion. Put it on, there's something special about it that I need to explain." Naruto gave the Hokage a quizzical expression before doing as instructed. As soon as he did, he understood that there certainly _was_ something that needed to be explained.

As soon as the mask was secure on his face, it disappeared completely from Naruto's field of vision. It was as if the mask simply wasn't there. He could still _feel_ it on his face, and when he touched his face, the mask was still definitely there, but he simply couldn't see it. He turned to the Hokage to see him giving him a somewhat amused look. "All ANBU masks are made with a rather special material that can be molded in a way as to make it one-way transparent when exposed to chakra. Those two metal things attached to the mask on the backside are chakra batteries. Simply pump a bit of chakra into them, and they'll have enough juice to keep the mask transparent for a few months at least. The masks are also made to filter out harmful materials from the air, including pathogen, poisons, and various other toxins. All of those functions are fueled by the chakra battery." Naruto was awed at the usefulness of the mask…he was perplexed as to why regular ninja didn't wear these things. He supposed that it was because the mask was made out of 'special' material…special must be code speak for 'rare'.

Naruto nodded at the old man in front of him before they both gave each other a mutual embrace. The Hokage gave Naruto another playful ruffle of the hair. "I'm glad I was finally able to give you some peace and happiness Naruto. I'm sure that wherever your mother and father are now…they love you. Just remember that that." The Hokage gave Naruto a smile before executing the poof no jutsu and leaving the residence.

Naruto smiled behind his mask and began to make his way back downstairs.

_Mother…father…_

Naruto looked towards the heavens as he passed a window, and mouthed a silent prayer.

-------------------------------------------------------

_Numb_. That would be the best word to describe Namikaze Naruto right now.

Shortly after coming down the stairs, Naruto had simply flopped himself unceremoniously onto the couch, closing his eyes and letting his mind percolate and soak in the information that he had been receiving. It was an interesting situation…for the first time in his life, his mind was _working_, and it was working _well_.

The events of the past two days were just now coalescing into something that Naruto's mind was painting into a full picture. Things made _sense_ now, more than they ever had before. Things began to simply complete themselves. Why he had been hated, why he was chosen for his fate, who his parents were, just exactly _why_ he had been who he was, and the realization that he was no longer that person. He supposed that this was the feeling one got when they finally had more answers than questions. It was a good feeling.

"…it's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

Naruto looked over at the source of the voice, and saw that Kyuubi was also in intense thought, but rather than happiness, it was one that was almost…somber. He frowned.

"…yeah. Though, I'm glad. I have answers now. I have a picture of my life that seems…_complete_, now. It's an amazing feeling, you know?"

Kyuubi simply responded with an almost bittersweet smile, which caused Naruto's already profound frown to deepen. It wouldn't do for her to be upset about something.

He got up and sauntered over to her, and sat himself down directly next to her. Relying on whatever empathetic instincts he might have, he put his hand on her shoulder, which got a reaction he was not anticipating.

She began crying.

"You know…when I was first sealed into you…I thought to myself, 'this is it, this is my fate for the rest of my life…'…I thought for the longest time that I was still a demon…that's what I was…that I still hadn't changed. I had fallen so far, so fast…and here I was, given a second chance, and I wasn't going to take it, Naruto. I was just going to live out my life inside of you, and you never would have known me, and none of this would have happened."

She was almost sobbing now, and Naruto's gaze had softened considerably. He took off his father's mask and put his arm around the Kyuubi, allowing her head to loll lazily on his shoulder. It was exactly what he wished someone had done for him when he had been like this.

"…and then I saw how you lived. I saw the squalor you lived in, the way people hated you…the way that you just trudged on through life…I was there for the beatings…I was there for the few good times…it was like a movie, Naruto. To me, it was just like a movie, and I couldn't stop watching. The only thing I could think of is 'this is all my fault'. My actions had caused someone else to fall into the hell that I was sentenced to…"

And then Naruto's breath hitched.

"…I was there, that time…Naruto. That time that you tried to end it." Kyuubi's eyes were closed tightly, and tears continued to flow freely down her face. Naruto's expression, however, was frightened.

No one had ever known about that, not even the Sandaime. It had been his worst moment of weakness, and it was something that he had never shared with anyone.

He had been eight…the day had been horrible. It was October tenth, predictably. Numerous times during the day, people had attempted to outright kill him. His day at the academy had been absolutely horrible, as the teachers had treated him _especially_ horrible…but those things he could have taken.

But one thing had led to another, and he had been _tired_. Mentally, physically, emotionally…he was simply tired. He had somehow gotten a kitchen knife out of one of the drawers…after that, things had become a blur to Naruto. There was blood…lots and lots of blood. There was his own pain, his agony, his screams…but most of all, there had been a hopeless feeling. He couldn't even _die_ correctly. Whenever he tried, whatever wound he inflicted, it healed. His blood was always there, it never stopped…more than that, there had been a warm feeling in his stomach the entire time, as if something was acting up and _refusing_ to allow him to die. Somewhere in it all, he had simply passed out, and in the morning, he had simply cleaned up his apartment, scrubbed off all the blood on the walls, and gone about as usual. He assumed that no one had ever seen it…but there had been a witness, he realized.

Kyuubi.

She had saved his life…even when he didn't want her to.

"It was then…Naruto…that I decided. It was almost an epiphany. I was being a coward…I had taken someone else with me into the hell I created, and here I was just going to wallow in my own self pity while that very person suffered for _my_ mistakes. I decided that I would help. I didn't know how, I didn't know really _why_, but I would help. At the time…I _knew_, for a _fact_, that you would reject me…that when we finally met, you would hate me with everything you were, and I would be your object to take out your aggressions on…and that I would simply have to _bear_ it. It was my fate, I told myself."

She was openly sobbing now, and her words came out almost haphazardly. It took everything Naruto had not to cry along with her.

"And then…and then we finally met…and you…you didn't hate me. You didn't hate me, Naruto. I tried not to show it, but I was so _happy_. You didn't hate me, you didn't immediately jump to judgment…you even gave me a second chance. You gave me a home, you gave me protection…it's more than I've ever deserved, and more than I ever _dreamed_ of, and yet you gave it freely."

She took a few minutes to sob, before she wiped her eyes and looked at Naruto with something he recognized immediately. It was a look that he had himself shown to only a few people…and it was probably the most honest emotion that you could ever prod out of him

Gratitude.

"Naruto…in my own estimation, there is nothing I can do to truly show you how thankful I am. Yes, I gave you a summoning contract, and I'm going to be teaching you, and I did help you break that pesky seal…but that's _nothing_ compared to what you've done for me. I've gone through countless eons of my own personal hell…all because of my stupid mistakes…and in the span of one measly childhood, you've changed me…at an almost fundamental level. Your determination, your drive…your heart. Everything. I'm not even sure that I can truly express any of this with a limited human vocabulary. It's simply _surreal_ to me."

She once again looked down at the couch, but this time her fists were opening and closing at a rapid pace. Naruto himself was…shocked. He had never expected such a display of emotion and raw _openness_ to come from Kyuubi…and yet here she was, pouring her heart and soul out to Naruto as if they were completely open to him in the first place.

"I suppose, Naruto…all of this is just to say **_Thank you_**. Whether you realize it or not…you've changed so many people, and you've done what no one else could…you've changed _me_. And for that, I just…well…Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, Naruto…thank you." She was on the floor now, bowing her head in a fashion that left no doubt as to her gratitude. Naruto simply stared. What else could he do? He had never had someone be so completely open with him before, and he didn't have much practice with things like this.

Not to mention, of course, that he was just now coming to grips with everything she said. He had unknowingly helped a demon become, in his estimation anyway, an angel again. He had helped a being from the depths of depression, to a place where the sun shined once more. And more than that…that same being was the whole reason that he was hated, that he was shunned…and, Naruto came to realize, the only reason that he was alive today. The whole situation contradicted itself _beautifully_, and in so many different facets that it would have been the stuff of movies if not for the fact that it was _happening_.

A small part of his brain that was still logical decided that if he had no idea what to do…then he should simply let instinct take over. He would later reflect that it was a good idea.

Naruto got up, and walked slowly over to the still kneeling form of the Kyuubi. With one deft motion, he knelt down to her level, picked up her chin from the floor, and locked his gaze with her own.

"You're welcome."

The gates came crashing down.

Before he even knew it, Kyuubi was in his arms on the sofa. She was sobbing, the emotions racking her body with every breath. It was unabashed, it was completely free, and it was without reservation. His shirt was wet with her shed tears, and she was shivering from the raw amount of emotion that she was outputting. It was simply _real_, Naruto decided. It was refreshing, for once.

Naruto's own walls cracked under the pressure. He could feel himself tearing up. It was as if the urge to simply let out the emotions was contagious, just as much as a laugh might be. Before he knew it, his own tears were flowing freely, and emotion that had been pent up behind a dam, was just as suddenly released, as the dam itself sluiced the emotion through the body, maintaining the wall, but forsaking the emotion. It was liberating…and it was _freedom_ at its most simple.

Before they knew it, almost an hour had passed. They had cried themselves out…Kyuubi taking a small amount longer than Naruto to accomplish the task. It was then that they found themselves in a somewhat awkward position.

They had both been hugging each other the whole time…it had been a mutual embrace, and comforting to both parties…but they had both failed to realize just how compromising a situation they had put themselves in. Naruto's own hands were not near anything that was _dangerous_, but it more had to do with the fact that Kyuubi was pressed rather unceremoniously on top of Naruto, his own hands providing enough pressure to make Kyuubi's bust…well…_bust_.

Nothing was showing, and for that, both parties were grateful…but they were _close_ enough, that Naruto's own face was redder than Kyuubi had ever seen, and her own face wasn't much better, she assumed.

In a flash, they had untangled themselves, both looking away embarrassedly, letting an uncomfortable silence deafen them. Luckily for them, Naruto had a knack for breaking uncomfortable silences.

"Ne, Kyuubi-chan…thanks. What you said about me and the…incident…thanks for not letting me die." He still couldn't bring himself to look at her, but if he had, he would have seen a kind visage with a large blush.

"It's nothing, Naruto-kun. Really. I only wish I could have done more." At this, Naruto did bring himself to look at her, and they both found themselves with almost uncontrollable smiles on their faces. It was a moment of mutual understanding and respect…and they stayed smiling at each other for a few minutes, until something popped into Naruto's head.

"Oh…before all of this, I was going to go check out the basement. Want to come with?" Kyuubi looked almost astonished for a moment, before schooling her expression back to one of joviality. In truth, she was stunned that he would trust her to go into the basement with him…but after what had just transpired, she began to think that she should stop being surprised at what Naruto thought of her.

"Sure. After all, I _am_ going to be helping you train…it would be beneficial if I could see the jutsu scrolls." Naruto gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head, and after putting his mask back on while giving the excuse that it was to get _used_ to it…Kyuubi thought he just wanted to look cool…he led the Kyuubi to the stairs once more.

--------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------

A/N: To be honest, I don't know if I liked how this chapter came out or not. I'm on the fence, I guess.

To those that are hoping for Naru/Kyuu thing…here are your first hints. I'm pretty sure at this point that it _will_ be a harem of some sorts, but I'm not sure how large. I'm more a fan of the smaller ones than the absolutely huge ones that lack personality. We'll see.

As always, R&R, and I'll see you in Chapter 4, which **_will_** be a lot more action. Since I didn't have anything more than 3 chapters done when I posted the story, chapter 4 will take a bit longer than usual. Stay tuned!


	4. Mother's Gift, and the Bell Test

Chapter Four! YAY! Not _as_ much action as I was hoping, but I hope it comes out well all the same. Also, I had some gnarly misspellings of certain things, like "Bijou" instead of "Bijuu"…my bad. Really, I didn't know.

As for those who assert that Kage Bunshin trains the mind as opposed to the body…you're probably right. I'll see if I can't correct that when it becomes necessary.

Nope, still don't own Naruto. That's evidenced by the fact that the filler staff hasn't come to an untimely death yet. Just saying.

-----------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------

A snapshot of time. That's what it was. Unchanged for twelve years, this was the basement of his father…Namikaze Minato.

Naruto and Kyuubi had passed through the barrier that the master security seal had erected rather easily…all it did was elicit a slight tingling sensation on Naruto's upper back, nothing more. He didn't exactly want to find out, however, what would happen to someone who did not have permission when they tried to enter. Even to the untrained eye, there were traps abound, and seals lined the walls, infused with enough chakra to make even Naruto's own relatively untrained senses _tingle_ with what he interpreted to be danger.

His father had been in a hurry. That much was painfully obvious. Scrolls were strewn about as so much waste…books thrown haphazardly on shelves, and various other repositories of information were simply sitting in the open with no real organization to them. If Naruto didn't know that it was impossible for anyone else to get down here, he would have thought that the basement had been ransacked.

Naruto took in the scene with a slight frown. He had expected something simpler than this…and he had certainly not expected to have to clean up the place. With a hand seal, he created about twenty Kage Bunshin, setting them to the task of simply _organizing_ the mess in front of him…he didn't have any illusions of being able to completely sort the cabal of paperwork in front of him. He'd tackle _that_ particular challenge sometime later.

The room's own design, however, was rather simple. The basement could be used as a meter for how large the house actually was. It was a circular room that stretched to a probable 100m diameter or so…the ceiling itself was probably 25 feet up from the base. The floor was simple smoothed concrete and the ceiling looked as though there was only simple paneling keeping the rafters from showing. The ring's unbroken wall seemed to be paneled with the same material. The actual 'furniture' in the room was as minimalist as the rest of the room. File cabinet structures lined the outside of the ring in a circle, and there were simple fluorescent lights that illuminated the room in a blinding artificial glow.

Naruto was broken from his musings, as he came to the center of the room. On the floor was a seal…it was complex, various amounts of kanji coalescing into an octagon like symbol, with a grid like structure lining the inside. Naruto guessed that it was the master security seal that Sarutobi had told him about. Sitting on top of this seal was a desk…about fifty feet long and about fifteen feet wide. The whole configuration gave the room a very 'open' feeling to it.

Naruto's eyes took in the various scrolls that lay on the desk, finding scrolls for seals that Naruto had no comprehension of. Some of them had the kanji for 'forbidden' on them, others simply had 'dangerous'. Most were simply unmarked and looked almost as if they had been…created…on the spot. Naruto wondered, not for the first time, if his father was more of a genius than he gave him credit for.

His eyes reached the center of the table, and his breathing stopped.

There lying in the middle of the table was a drawing of a seal that he had _definitely _seen before.

Shiki Fuujin.

But…there was more than the Shiki Fuujin…what were all these other drawings?

Naruto's gaze wandered to the label for the drawing, his breath once again becoming hitched…he took off his mask as if to get a better look.

_Finished Shiki Fuujin with supplementary seals for symbiosis – Complete_

In a flash of inspiration, Naruto realized what this was.

It was his seal…his seal _array_. What was on the paper in front of him was exactly what was on his stomach. This paper held the _documentation_ to his seal. Naruto's eyes wandered over the paper in front of him, taking in every little detail…he noticed that every single seal was listed under the drawing, a description following shortly afterwards. His father may have been messy, but at the very least he was _thorough._

Kyuubi by this time had noticed the drawing as well, and was pouring over it with an intensity that Naruto had never quite seen on her face before. Her fingers traced certain seals, her eyes darted from place to place, and every once in a while, her eyes would widen almost imperceptibly before schooling themselves again.

After some time, she spoke. "Naruto…this…this is absolutely incredible. The implications…the usage…the application…all of the seals are perfectly melded with each other, no conflict. I've never seen anyone able to combine seventy seals together without conflict…not even the greatest seal masters in Makai were this proficient…" Naruto himself was awed at the respect and astonishment in Kyuubi's voice. For her to praise someone so openly was _rare_, or at least he assumed.

"Explain it to me. I want to know what we can do with this thing." Naruto had finally found his voice, and he was not about to let an opportunity like this go to the wayside.

Kyuubi simply gave him an incredulous look. "I _can't_ explain this. The seal itself is so complex as to be undecipherable…if not for the descriptions at the bottom, I would have no clue what any of these did." Naruto deflated slightly before realizing that at the very least, he should read the descriptions.

Kyuubi beat him to it. "The descriptions are rather straightforward. It lists the Shiki Fuujin overseal, the impression seal, and the suppression seals first, followed by…interesting. Chakra flow seals." Naruto gave Kyuubi a puzzled look before she continued.

"Chakra flow seals, at least in this usage, are there for the explicit purpose of allowing my own chakra to be forced into yours. Consider it sort of a flood gate. The Shiki Fuujin is a dam of sorts, holding back my chakra. If I force my chakra out of the seal and into you, the chakra flow seals allow the chakra to be channeled into your own system _correctly_, as opposed to simply being used haphazardly and without purpose. Basically, it allows you to use my chakra more efficiently and with greater effectiveness. In this case, there are fifteen of these seals placed on you. The more chakra flow seals you have, the more chakra you're able to take from me when you need it." Naruto nodded…interestingly enough, he had understood that.

"Well, that takes care of forty-seven of the seals placed on you…thirty suppression, fifteen chakra flow, the Shiki Fuujin, and the Impression seal…after that comes the Shiki Fuujin backup seal…the one that I told you about that kills us both if the Shiki Fuujin dissipates, remember?" Naruto nodded. He would very much like it if that seal were _not_ on him.

"That makes forty-eight…there's a seal that converts my chakra into a chakra that heals you innately…it's the whole reason why you heal as quickly as you do. There's the submission seal…that's the one that controls this collar around my neck." Kyuubi scowled and Naruto simply smirked. He thought it looked good on her.

"That makes fifty. According to this, there are eighteen different purification seals. Huh, so that's why you have so much chakra…" She trailed off, as if thinking to herself. It took a nudge from Naruto to break her from her musings and actually explain what that meant.

"The purification seals…well…_purify_ my chakra into a type that you can use. Basically, a small amount of my chakra is filtered through the purification seals at all times, and that chakra is then innately added to your own reserve. Your chakra coils are forced to expand, and your capacity grows. Although, that's only one use for the seals. The other use is actually the main reason why you have it, I'd assume. If your natural chakra reserve ever draws an empty, you'll end up refilling it much more quickly than a normal person would, due to the purification seals on you. Not only would your natural processes be refilling your chakra reserves, but a small amount of my own chakra would be being converted to regular chakra and shoved into your coils that way. Whereas someone else may require a day or more to completely refill their own reserves, you'd only take a few hours at most. The best thing is I don't lose any chakra capacity due to the fact that it's taking _chakra_ as opposed to actual power…not like the suppression seals."

Naruto simply smiled. "So I basically never run out of chakra, is that it? _Awesome_." He rested his forearms on the table and gave an almost imperceptible smirk. "So now all I have to worry about is chakra control." Kyuubi's own smirk widened slightly at this. "Basically. Of course, you _can_ still run out, but that's why you have _my_ chakra reserve." She glanced at him slightly with an almost imperceptible smirk on her face. "You do realize though that with your already gigantic reserves, learning chakra control is going to be exceedingly difficult." Naruto's smile faltered slightly at this before setting itself back into one of determination. "It doesn't matter how difficult it is. What matters is that I _am_ going to do it, regardless." Naruto set his gaze back on the drawing in front of Kyuubi, giving her an almost imperceptible cue to continue. She smirked wider. Of course he would do it…he was _Naruto_.

She continued to pour over the descriptions. "The last two seals are…interesting. The first is a seal…repellent…for lack of a better term. It prevents any other seals from being added to the Shiki Fuujin overseal, either deflecting them with my chakra, or dissolving them after they've been put on. It prevents people from messing with the seal." Naruto nodded.

"The second…" Kyuubi's eyes widened slightly before they schooled themselves again. Her face, however, betrayed them. On it, there was warmth and something almost…kind…on her face.

"The second of the last two seems to be a gift from your mother, Naruto. It is a…medical conversion seal." Naruto's own face showed confusion. "The seal is one I've never actually seen before…it's ingenious though." Kyuubi saw that Naruto was even more confused than before, and she realized, to her chagrin, that Naruto really had no idea how med-nin's actually healed people.

She sighed. "Medical ninja work on the premise of being able to use chakra to heal. This is done either by simple regeneration through cellular stimulation, or through precise and thorough procedures with chakra scalpels and various other techniques. Either way, med Nin need an intimate grasp of human anatomy and basic biology to perform their function, and the best med Nin is able to cure even the most virulent of diseases and the most shattered of bodies with it." She saw comprehension dawn on Naruto's face and she continued.

"Normally, this would be fine…but to perform medical techniques, one must first be able to control a medical version of chakra. This is done by being able to change the very nature of your chakra into a form that stimulates regeneration and healing. To do this, normally, you'd need more chakra control than you are even able to possess…in fact, very few males have the ability to create medical chakra, as most males have too much chakra to control it enough to produce it. That's what this seal fixes. If you activate this seal while focusing chakra to your hand, the chakra will come out as healing chakra…the seal takes care of the conversion. It's truly a gift, and it's absolutely brilliant."

Naruto was deep in thought. This was all well and good, but how exactly was he supposed to 'activate' this seal? Did he simply think of it, and it activated, or is there something else? He decided that Kyuubi would probably have the answer. "How exactly do I 'activate' this seal?" Almost as an afterthought, Naruto added, "And how do you know so much about medical techniques?"

Kyuubi nodded, as if expecting the question. "Nearest I can tell, you simply focus on trying to produce healing chakra, just as med Nin would, and the seal takes it from there. My guess is that you'll have to find a med Nin and ask them how to actually produce medical chakra…as soon as you find out, you should be able to simply _do_ it, without much hassle." Naruto nodded. He would have to ask the old man if he knew of anyone who would teach him about medical chakra.

"As to the question of how I know about medical techniques…chakra based medical treatment has been in use for hundreds upon hundreds of years. In fact, chakra based medical techniques came before most jutsu were even created. It falls under the category of chakra manipulation and control…both of which I am tremendously proficient in. Remember, I said that I didn't know jutsu, not that I didn't know chakra and the manipulation thereof." Naruto seemed to accept that answer and turned his gaze back to the seal drawing, as if trying to burn it into his memory.

"That makes seventy different seals, just as the Hokage said. Amazing. When he first said that there were seventy seals placed on you, I thought he was exaggerating. I guess he wasn't." Kyuubi looked awed as she continued to stare at the seal diagram in front of her. To her, it was a work of art.

Naruto suddenly had an influx of data come into his mind, and he noticed that his clones had just dispersed themselves after they completed their task. He looked around to find the scrolls, books, and other such things in neat and tidy piles. He even noticed that they had managed to sort them somewhat…different category of jutsu were in different piles. It would certainly make things easier in the long run.

"My clones are done organizing all the jutsu…we should see what exactly we're up against here." Naruto desperately wanted to find out just what he could and couldn't learn…it was enough to drive him up the wall.

She simply nodded and motioned Naruto to follow her. "To be honest, I'm not very good with jutsu…like I said, I never took any time to learn anything about them. I do know, however, that humans manipulate elemental chakra _much_ differently than those of my kind do. To be honest, we'll have to ask someone…perhaps your sensei or the Hokage about them. I seem to remember something about 'elemental affinity', but I don't remember enough to really describe it to you." Naruto shot Kyuubi a disappointed look before schooling his features into a deadpan rather quickly. If there was one thing he was good at, it was putting on a façade.

"Elemental jutsu are only one of many types you can learn though, I think. For instance, before you saw the seal, I was checking out a cabinet that was relatively undisturbed, full of jutsu that had no elemental affinity. There was also a book that I managed to snatch from one of your clones…" She reached into her bust and pulled out a plain brown book that had the markings of being frequently used. Kyuubi never noticed the blight red hue that Naruto's face had taken after she pulled the book out…he was able to quash it rather quickly.

Kyuubi handed him the book, and for the first time, he saw the title. _Sealing Techniques for beginning Shinobi_. Slightly confused, he opened the book to find that the pages were full of kanji and seal diagrams that he didn't understand at all. The pages were marked at certain points, and the pages seemed to be dog eared all over the place. It was easy to see that the book had gotten quite a bit of good use over the years.

"Interesting. If you're such a seal master, however, why do I need a book to teach me about them?"

Kyuubi gave him a dismissing wave and returned to gazing about the room. "I _could_ teach you about sealing, or you could have a Kage Bunshin read that thing, and do something completely different. You have to learn to prioritize." Naruto sneered slightly at that, not willing to outwardly admit that she was right.

After a few more moments of walking, they arrived at the cabinet Kyuubi had mentioned. Naruto noticed immediately that there was something…_different_ about it as compared to most of the other cabinets in the room. It had a spiral emblem imbedded into the center, and there was a strange looking circular seal adorning the single opening lock.

Kyuubi simply got a perceptive smile on her face. "I see. Only those of a certain blood can open this thing…I guess this cabinet is full of the family jutsu." Naruto's head snapped to Kyuubi so quickly that she feared his head may twist off.

"This…family jutsu…blood…what?" His disjointed 'sentence' gave away his underlying astonishment, awe, anticipation, and anxiety.

She couldn't help but giggle slightly. "The seal on the cabinet is a blood seal…simply bite your thumb as you do during the Kuchiyose, and smear some blood on it. It should unlock automatically." Naruto nodded, somewhat dumbfounded and did as told.

It snapped open with an audible click, and with a shaking hand, Naruto reached in and pulled out the oversized scroll contained therein. It took him a good two minutes to fully unravel the thing along the concrete floor, but once he did…

"_Namikaze Family Techniques – Authored by Namikaze Minato_…hmm. There are only four jutsu on this scroll…" Naruto glanced at the unfurled scroll and noticed that there _were_ only four jutsu described in the scroll itself. He noticed with a smile, however, that they were all either A or S-class type jutsu.

"I guess my dad's philosophy was quality over quantity. These jutsu are _advanced_…am I seeing this right, or do none of these require hand seals?" He noticed just from a passing over of the jutsu in the scroll that he hadn't seen any lists of hand seals needed for the jutsu themselves.

Kyuubi herself gave the scroll a once over, and her eyes widened slightly. "You're right…none of these require hand seals. In fact…all save for one are simple chakra manipulation and seal techniques. The two A-class don't require seals…they're simple chakra manipulation. The two S-classes require both seals and advanced chakra manipulation. _Very_ interesting." She was pouring over the jutsu as though to burn them into her own memory, and Naruto himself was nigh _giddy_ at the prospect of learning two A-class jutsu and two S-class jutsu.

His hopes were dimmed considerably though, by the next statement. "If I'm getting these correctly…it could take you _years_, even with the Kage Bunshin training method, to master these. The raw amount of chakra control, manipulation, and theory that these require…you could create three thousand clones a day for the next year, and I doubt you'd learn the highest one on here." Kyuubi's outside expression was neutral, but inside she was smirking up a storm. If anything could motivate Naruto, it was being underestimated.

It worked like a charm. "Bullshit. Regardless of how hard they are, I'll master them _much_ more quickly than you or anyone else thinks." His face was a mask of determination and guts, and she couldn't help but have a small smirk form on her lips watching him. There was no doubt in her mind that he _would_…he just needed to be _motivated_ properly.

"We'll see. Don't go getting cocky, though. Even _if_ by some chance you manage to master some of these jutsu more quickly than we think, they are _tremendously_ hard to pull off. They're powerful, yes, but there are things you have to learn before you can even _think_ of learning these. You have to _drastically_ increase your control, you have to increase your speed, your strength, your physical toughness…like I said before, you _must_ learn the basics before you go off on a tangent to try to learn these jutsu. Remember too, that you're going to be learning a sword style, and other various things during this time as well…jutsu practice is going to take a time slot just as much as the other ones are." His determined look went unabated, slightly impressing Kyuubi…she had been trying her hardest to discourage him…but then again, she really shouldn't be surprised that it had the exact opposite effect. Hell, it had what she had been _hoping_ for.

He gave an almost dismissive wave to Kyuubi, earning him a somewhat irked glare. "Basics and general improvement are great…but I _will_ learn these jutsu, and _more_. Remember, I _can_ do more than one thing at a time." He almost smirked at that last part. His Kage Bunshin training method allowed him to multitask in the most extreme sense of the word.

Kyuubi herself allowed a slight smile to creep on to her face. "Good. I don't think you quite know what you're getting yourself into, though." At that, the Kyuubi gained a sadistic smile, and to Naruto's credit he kept his only visible reaction to a gulp.

Kyuubi decided that one last little bit of motivation was in order. "If you pass your Genin initiation test tomorrow, I will start to teach you the only technique on this scroll that I truly understand. But _only_ if you pass." She watched as his face all but lit up, and she couldn't suppress a grin.

"Deal. Just be ready to train when I get home tomorrow." He shot her his own grin, showing off his somewhat elongated incisors.

Naruto then glanced at his watch, and with a start, he realized that they had been down here for almost two and a half hours. If he wanted to be at the training ground on time tomorrow, he should really go to bed _now_.

Kyuubi seemed to recognize the same thing. "Right then. I'll clean up a bit down here, seeing as how I don't really need nearly as much sleep as you do." Naruto nodded, and pounded his way up the stairs, getting the same tingling feeling when he passed through the barrier as he had before.

Kyuubi simply smiled a genuine smile. This was going to be _fun_. She rolled up the Namikaze scroll and put it back in the cabinet before moving to the other piles of scrolls and sorting them as well. Assuming the boy passed the next day, she would be teaching the one technique from the scroll that was right up her alley. It used chakra manipulation, control, and technique on an extremely high level, and those were the exact things that she _excelled_ at.

She closed another cabinet door with a click. She decided that the **_Rasengan_** truly would be a great jutsu to start off with.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto entered the master bedroom with slight trepidation. This would be his first time spending the night at his new…home…he realized with a start. The fact that he really had a _home_ only really hit him once he realized that he never had to go back to his apartment again. It was an odd feeling…he had never really _had_ a true _home_ before.

He went about his nightly ritual with the same practiced ease as he usually did, however. There was a pair of pajamas that were quite too big for him in one of the dressers, but they fit with a little creative folding. The bed was freshly made, and just from giving it an experimental bounce, it seemed to be tremendously comfortable.

He made his way into the master bathroom, and he stopped short. It was incredible. White marble tile lined the room, and the bathroom itself was almost as large as his apartment…just like everything else in the house. It was very brightly lit, and there was gold trim on some of the fixtures. The shower was _very_ large, and the bath counterpart was just as big. The whole thing was just…well…it made him feel bad to have to do what one normally did in a bathroom.

After finishing up, he made his way out to the bed, and with an unceremonious plop, he landed on the goose down mattress and let out an extremely contented sigh. He was _home_. He was **_home_**…and no one could take it away. It was only moments after that that he fell into a blissful slumber.

After what felt like only minutes, he awakened, but to a much different environment. He realized after a few moments, that he was in his seal, and there was an almost amused looking Kyuubi standing right in front of him. It took him a few moments to realize what was going on.

"Wait…we're having lessons _tonight_?! Can't I even have one night of good sleep?" He was whining, but he didn't care. Sleep was just too damned tempting.

Kyuubi just smirked. **"But you seemed so enthusiastic about it only a day or so ago…but, if you want, I can just cancel our little deal, and not teach you anything…"** Kyuubi's smirk widened when that got the desired rise out of the boy standing in front of her.

"NO!...er…no. It's fine. We can do this." His face set itself into one of determination again, and he promptly plopped himself down on one of the recliners. Kyuubi smiled again, and walked over to a now almost full bookshelf and got out a book before tossing it to Naruto. He read the title…_Beginning Anatomy_.

He almost gave her a scowl. "If I'm just going to read a book, why don't I just get a Kage Bunshin to do it?" Kyuubi matched his scowl rather well.

"**Because, dimwit, you're going to follow along in that book while I explain it to you. That book is simply a representation of what I know. If you tried to read that book without me guiding you, it would be disjointed and completely ineffective. That book is simply an _aid_ for you. I'm still going to be doing the majority of the teaching."** Naruto almost looked sheepish before he gave Kyuubi a slight nod.

She slid herself into the adjacent recliner to Naruto and they both took in the 'heat' of the roaring fireplace in front of them for a few moments before Kyuubi turned to Naruto and signaled him to open his book.

"**The first chapter will cover the Integumentary system, or as you may call it, your skin…"**

-----------------------------------------------------------

He had been awake all night…and yet he felt more rested than any day of his life before. It was quite the interesting feeling.

They had spent roughly the equivalent of twenty four hours in his seal studying basic human anatomy and just a hint of chemistry…after all, the body _is_ made up of approximately sixty five percent water…and water is a chemical. It was a bit of a stretch, but Kyuubi used it to segue rather well.

Naruto took in his surroundings with a smile. He could get used to waking up in a room like this. He unceremoniously plopped his feet on the floor and went about his daily rituals with little hassle, noting that the lingering presence of Kyuubi was in the back of his mind. He surmised that she must be sleeping.

After he had done what needed to be done in the bathroom, he got dressed in his clothes, strapped his sword to his belt, snapped his mask on, tied his forehead protector around his neck, and after grabbing a quick breakfast of cereal (_someone_ had restocked the kitchen), he bounded off towards training ground seven.

It was after a short trip that he arrived at the outskirts of the training ground. He noted with a bit of hesitancy that Sakura was the only other teammate of his currently there. If there was one thing he hated, it was an awkward situation.

He realized with a start that even just two days ago, this wouldn't have been an awkward situation at all. Hell, he probably would have been shouting and running around with nigh boundless energy…he shuddered. He was beginning to understand why people had called him annoying.

It was strange to Naruto, however, that he had managed to somehow instantaneously get over his 'crush' on Haruno Sakura. It wasn't that he somehow _hated_ her now…far from it. He simply felt absolutely _apathetic_ towards the whole situation. His 'feelings' for the pink haired girl were…simply…_not there_. Perhaps it was a function of his new persona, or maybe…just maybe…his old persona had used Sakura as a 'crutch' of sorts. She was the one person that he could constantly derive attention from…he realized with a start that it was almost like a neglected puppy. You bark and annoy someone enough, and you'll get attention…it may be _bad_ attention, but it's still attention nonetheless. Naruto sported a slight frown. Was he really that starved for attention before?

He was broken from his musings as he came upon a stump in the middle of the training grounds that Sakura was currently leaning on. Before he could mutter out a greeting, however, she beat him to it.

"Naruto? What's with the mask…and the sword? You just keep changing…" Sakura's voice was almost _awed_, and Naruto wondered briefly if perhaps she was herself a bit too used to him being annoying…perhaps it was a two way street. Maybe she derived confidence out of being able to feel superior to others. He realized with another start, that perhaps he had been a crutch to her as well…a much needed confidence boost. After all, everyone has to feel superior to _someone_.

"The mask is to cover my face. The sword…is to cut things." He decided that brevity was the better part of valor.

Sakura apparently disagreed. "Baka, I know what a sword and mask are for! I was asking why you were wearing them!" She seemed a bit peeved at his lack of prolix…she was going to have to get used to it.

He punctuated his mood with a sigh before delivering his rebuttal. "Sakura…I'm wearing the mask because my face is different than normal. I have the sword because it is…an heirloom. I intend to learn to use it." He hoped beyond hope that explanation would satisfy her.

She seemed confused for a moment before tapping her chin in thought. "That's right…I never did find out why your face was different and stuff…" She seemed to wince slightly. "Then again, you didn't really want to tell me." Though you couldn't tell it, Naruto almost winced himself.

He had been…_peeved_ to say the least the prior day. Sakura had been a tremendously convenient outlet for his pseudo-anger at the time…and he had used that to his full advantage. That's not to say that she hadn't deserved it…she was as annoying in her own way as Naruto used to be. Besides, it had shut her up rather effectively at the time. He remembered his revelation the previous day that being feared seemed to trump being loved…he may well have to put that theory to the test…again.

"That's right…I do not really wish to talk about it Sakura. I would appreciate it if you would drop it." He again decided to place his faith in brevity.

This time at least, it seemed to work. "I…understand. I'm just curious, you know?" She seemed as though she was going to say something else…but she caught herself short. He briefly wondered what exactly she had been meaning to say. Naruto simply nodded to Sakura, and with an unceremonious plop, he rested himself on the ground. If his sensei's previous day's performance had been any indication, they may be in for quite a long wait.

Luckily, Sasuke broke the monotony when he showed up about fifteen minutes after Naruto arrived. It was a godsend…any and all attention that Sakura might have been directing his way was _immediately_ redirected towards Sasuke, and that was just perfectly fine in his opinion. The less 'attention' that Sakura gave him, the better.

Of course, Sasuke was now the one to comment on his new appearance…again. "Dobe…what's with the mask and the sword?" Naruto sighed.

"I'm wearing the mask because my face is different than normal. I have the sword because it is an heirloom. I intend to learn to use it." He repeated exactly what he said to Sakura…it was a good explanation.

Sasuke seemed…peeved for a moment, but his face quickly schooled itself into the mask of the uncaring brooder, and he took up a space on the stump next to him. For a while, everything was quiet, and Naruto was enjoying it. Of course, it did not last.

'**_G'morning kit. I see you're sitting around doing nothing.'_** Naruto's face contorted itself into an almost pout. He had hoped to have at least a _little_ time to himself. It was not to be.

'**_You have some time before your sensei arrives, I imagine…if he was almost three hours late yesterday, he'll be just about that late today. Why don't I get you started on something I've been meaning to train you in…'_** She sounded almost distracted, as though she was contemplating just exactly how to train Naruto in whatever she was meaning to train him in.

'**_Oi, find somewhere where you can summon me…this would be an opportune time to introduce me to your teammates…we _did_ spend some of last night thinking up a back story and fake name for me for a reason. After you summon me and introduce me, I can train you in something quickly.'_** Naruto remembered that they had indeed diverted some of their training to thinking up a back story and fake name, albeit unoriginal, for the Kyuubi to use when around his teammates. They had decided that she would become almost like that Akamaru dog is to Kiba…even though she detested being referred to as a dog, or even as a _companion_…it was all she could do.

Naruto gave what amounted to a mental nod, and with a bound, he leapt off into the trees, much to the bewilderment of his two teammates. After running for a bit, he settled down in a semi-sheltered area, and performing the hand seals, he whispered, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Kyuubi no Kitsune!"

He felt the familiar tugging on the back of his mind, and after siphoning some of Kyuubi's chakra to her, the smoke cleared to reveal…a fox. That had been the other thing they decided. Around anyone other than those who knew who she was, she would have to use her fox form. It was more versatile in combat anyway.

Her fox form outside of the seal was…ordinary, for the most part. Her fur was a bright red, as opposed to a matte red of a regular fox, but other than that, she looked exactly as a small fox kit might. She even had just one regular bushy tail swinging behind her. Her eyes were different, of course…they were red and _feral_…but that was something they simply couldn't hide. All in all, no one would think her different than a regular fox unless they were to deliberately piss her off…in which case, she'd kick their ass…or try to.

Naruto, on the other hand, found it _funny_. One of the most powerful beings in existence looked like a cute little baby fox. Kyuubi of course, found it humiliating. She should be able to decimate entire cities with her tails, not be hugged to death by females who thought she might look cute! It was a cruel, cruel world.

'**_Lord I hate this form…try giving me more chakra, see what that does'_** Kyuubi had explained to Naruto that her form outside of the seal was simply a chakra construct…it wouldn't be able to hold more chakra, until Kyuubi herself got used to manipulating it properly. She wouldn't get a _real_ body, until she was able to manipulate enough chakra within herself to literally _manufacture_ one using her own chakra. That could take months, or even years.

Naruto nodded, and with a slight mental push, he was able to give just a small amount more chakra to Kyuubi before he once again registered that she was 'full'. It wasn't even enough to make Kyuubi grow, although her tail may have gotten slightly longer. Kyuubi gave what amounted to a scowl on her fox face.

'**_I'm going to have to get used to this later…I can't go around with just this much chakra…I'll be almost useless in combat.'_** Naruto thought it over for a moment before shaking his head.

'_I don't think so. For now, you're the perfect diversion. Not to mention the fact that you still have access to your killing intent, right? That can come in handy.'_ Naruto watched as Kyuubi's little fox eyes widened just slightly, before they schooled themselves.

'**_I suppose so. Nevertheless…I need to get used to this.'_** She'd get no argument from Naruto about that.

Naruto got ready to walk back to his teammates, when he felt Kyuubi latch onto his leg, and with a deft leap, she threw herself on top of Naruto's shoulders, curling herself up inside the space between Naruto's forehead protector and his neck. She was surprisingly warm, and before Naruto could question her, she gave him an almost grunt in his mind.

'**_It's more comfortable up here.'_** With that, she let her breathing slow and she relaxed tremendously. He let himself have a small smile…it was cute, in a way. He imagined that with her being as weak as she was, she may just be feeling a bit insecure…with an almost wry grin, he realized that she was using him like a security blanket. His grin widened. Kyuubi no Kitsune, using a security blanket…_hilarious_, but cute.

He walked back towards his teammates, and before he could even get within five meters of Sakura, she noticed the 'cute fox kit' around his neck.

"Oh my god, how cute! Where did you get that thing? Can I hold it? Pleeeeeease?" Naruto sighed, again, and he noticed that Sasuke had done the same…although he _did_ look interested.

"_She_ is named Vix. I found her abandoned a few days ago in the forest. No, you cannot hold her." Sakura put on a pouting expression and tried to look pitiful. She did a great job.

"Why not? She's just so cute!" Her pouting expression was gone in an instant. "She's…a bit afraid of others. Maybe later." He turned his back to Sakura and leaned up against the stump, this time keeping Sasuke between himself and Sakura. Luckily, she let it drop…but he noticed that he was still getting glances and outright glares from Sakura and Sasuke respectively. He sighed once again. It had gone just about as well as he could have hoped, he guessed.

'**_Afraid? Me? That was the best excuse you could come up with?! You make me out to be a coward!'_** Naruto mentally gave a groan as he tried to get himself out of this rather troublesome situation.

'_What was I supposed to say? If I had let her hold you, she would have squished you into oblivion. You know how females get about cute animals.'_ He immediately regretted saying that.

Kyuubi growled from her perch on his neck and her tail whapped on him on the back of the neck. **_'I am _not_ cute. I am the fearsome and powerful Kyuubi no Kitsune, and don't you forget it, damn it!'_** Naruto couldn't help but stifle a slight laugh.

'_Right, you're great and powerful and all that stuff…now, can we please get to that thing you were going to teach me?'_ His easy dismissal of her assertions as a great beast of power earned him another tail whap, but she had already conceded defeat. It sucked being _cute_.

'**_Insolent gaki…anyway, what I'm going to teach you is relatively simple. It's the method by which to enhance your own senses by the use of chakra. Seeing as how you aren't a fox, and you most certainly aren't going to be getting enhanced senses from _me_, we'll have to make do with you learning how to enhance your senses with chakra exercises.'_** Naruto perked up somewhat.

Kyuubi almost gave a snort. **_'I thought that may interest you. The means by which to do it is relatively simple. You simply flow chakra to your nose, or your ears, or your eyes…any sense that you want to enhance, you simply flow more chakra than usual to that particular organ, and in turn that chakra stimulates that organ to work more efficiently and powerfully. For example…focus some chakra to your nose. Not a lot, just a relatively small amount.'_** Naruto gave what amounted to a mental nod, and while forming a ram seal, focused chakra to his nose.

The results were immediate and overwhelming. He could immediately smell _everything_ around him. From the smells of the forest surrounding them, to the insects that lived in the stump he was leaning on, to his teammate's choice of laundry detergent and shampoo. The senses all but overwhelmed him, and he quickly undid the ram seal, halting the flow of chakra to his nose. It took all of his willpower to keep from sneezing.

Kyuubi on the other hand, was laughing with gusto. Her little fox form was giving off yips and growls that Naruto guessed were the physical equivalent of the laughing that he heard in his mind. He was so glad that he could be such excellent _entertainment_.

'_Damn fox, that was…damn! If it's always going to be like that, then I don't _want_ enhanced senses…man…'_ This simply caused the Kyuubi to laugh even more, and after a few minutes of Naruto giving Kyuubi his best 'evil eye', she eventually quieted down enough to speak.

'**_That was hilarious. I haven't laughed that hard in ages…oh man. Your chakra control _sucks_, kit. I told you to channel a _little_ bit of chakra to your nose, and you go and channel enough chakra to your nose to produce a Kage Bunshin through your nostrils…'_** She started laughing again, and didn't stop until he bopped her on her little fox head.

Kyuubi gave him a glare but settled down. **_'Ok…we'll work on that later. You've got the basic concept down, but we need to work on your control so that you don't overload again. We can either work on our chakra control until your sensei gets here, or you can simply drift off…I'll vote for the drifting off part. I'm tired.'_** She almost seemed to pout.

He almost scoffed. They were switching roles so easily. _'We'll work on control. If it really is going to be another few hours until sensei arrives, I don't want to waste that time just sitting around. Besides, _you_ don't have to do anything.'_ After a few moments, he got a slight grunt from Kyuubi that she agreed.

'**_Very well. We'll start with something simple. Walk over to that tree and focus some chakra into your feet. I'll explain the rest of it in a minute.'_** With that, she hopped off of Naruto and strode over to Sakura. Naruto was confused for a moment before shrugging and walking over to the tree. He looked back to Kyuubi to find that she was pawing at Sakura's feet. The girl picked her up while squealing 'Kawaii' and within moments, Kyuubi had found a new perch. Naruto simply looked irked.

Kyuubi gave him a deadpan expression. **_'What? You're about to train, I need a perch that I can sleep on. This girl seems more than eager to accommodate me.'_** This irked Naruto even further.

'_Sleep? What are you, a cat?'_ This got her attention.

'**_I AM NOT A CAT!...I simply value my rest…'_** Naruto gave her a look that clearly showed his amusement.

Kyuubi just dismissed him. **_'Right then. Humans have been doing this exercise for hundreds of years. You focus a small amount of chakra to your feet, and you walk up the tree. The basic concept is that if you exude enough chakra from your feet, you'll stick to the tree…too much, and you'll repel, too little and you'll fall off. The process of trying to get _just_ enough chakra to stick increases your overall chakra control by leaps and bounds and also gives you the useful ability to stick onto objects with chakra. Go on, try it.'_**

Naruto looked skeptical for a moment, but he did exactly as Kyuubi said. He focused a small amount of chakra to his feet, and put his foot on the tree, followed by his other foot. He was amazed when he didn't fall off.

He was able to take three full steps before he felt himself slip slightly, and his feet met ground once again. He was astonished. He really _could_ stick to surfaces using his chakra. He gave a mental beaming grin to the Kyuubi.

'_This is great! Damn, why didn't they teach us this in the academy?!'_ He focused chakra to his feet and walked up the tree a few steps again before slipping and flipping down again.

Kyuubi gave him what amounted to a foxy grin. **_'Just keep doing that for a while and your chakra control will shoot up considerably. You might even want to create a few hundred Kage Bunshin to do it with you.'_**

Naruto nodded and with a hand seal, he shouted, "**Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!"

Immediately, the area was filled with a fine smoke, before a small gale blew it away, astonishing his teammates. There in the clearing stood almost three hundred Kage Bunshin. With a simple mental command from the original Naruto, each of them found a tree and started doing what he had been doing.

Naruto was about to turn back around to face his own tree when he noticed the reactions of his teammates. Sakura's face was one of simple astonishment…her jaw looked as though it was almost unhinged. Sasuke on the other hand, looked as though he were about to blow a gasket. Undoubtedly, Naruto knowing a technique that _he_ didn't know was some sort of blasphemy in his mind.

Seeing that they were expecting some sort of an explanation, he sighed and tried to think something up. It came to him rather quickly.

"It was in a scroll that I found a few days ago." It wasn't _really_ a lie…he had 'found' the forbidden scroll of seals…he had simply 'found' it in the Hokage tower after breaking in.

Sakura looked somewhat satisfied by his answer, but Sasuke obviously didn't. "Oi, dobe…how…how were you able to create so many?" His tone of voice was clipped…it sounded like a mix between being astonished and absolutely furious.

Naruto simply scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I…uh…have an unnaturally large chakra capacity. It's one of the perks of being what I am." He regretted it as soon as it left his lips.

Sasuke and Sakura's expressions both immediately turned curious, all traces of anger leaving Sasuke's face. "Being what you are? What does _that_ mean?"

Kyuubi groaned in his mind and Naruto almost smacked himself. He had gotten so used to talking about himself as a Jinchuuriki over the past few days, that it hadn't even registered to him that it most _certainly_ wasn't common knowledge among those in the younger generation.

Then again…this could be an opportunity. Undoubtedly, he would be using _her_ chakra at some point with his two teammates around…and he would _have_ to have an explanation ready. If he could somehow come up with a viable explanation for having a secondary chakra _now_, then he wouldn't have to worry about using it later. Something clicked in Naruto's mind…and he had an explanation.

"I have a…I guess you could call it a bloodline. I have a secondary chakra source I can call upon at will to use if my regular chakra source becomes exhausted. Basically, I have an almost never ending chakra supply. That's why I'm able to make as many Kage Bunshin as I do…I'm also the last of this 'bloodline' of mine. The rest of my family died in the Kyuubi attack." He managed to punctuate the end of his explanation with a solemn tone of voice. If that didn't convince them, nothing would.

It worked like a charm. Sakura had an almost pitying look on her face, and Sasuke…his visage was almost one of understanding. Naruto wasn't tremendously surprised. If anyone knew what losing family was like, it was him.

Something else clicked and he almost stopped breathing.

Family.

Sasuke…

Sasuke was…_family_ to Naruto. Naruto was blood related to Uchiha Sasuke…it had taken him this long to realize this. If anyone were able to see behind his mask, they would see an almost _hopeful_ expression on the young boy's face. He had completely forgotten…he may not have any family alive on his father's side, but…his mother. His mother had been an Uchiha. Sasuke was an Uchiha.

He realized with a start that Sasuke may very well be the only blood relative he has alive in all of Konoha. He wasn't exactly sure if he liked that or not.

His musings were brought to a halt as he heard Kyuubi trying to get a hold of him through their mental link.

'**_Hey, Naruto…you ok? You're feeling weird…'_** Naruto's mood went from hopefully pensive to confused in an instant.

'Feeling _weird? How do I _feel_ weird to you?'_

Kyuubi gave an almost relieved sigh. **_'There you are…you spaced off on me. Anyway…this link of ours…I sort of feel your emotion, at least to a certain extent. I can feel when you're angry, when you're anxious, when you're happy, sad…etcetera. You were feeling…I don't know, sort of a mix between sad, happy, hopeful and desperate. I just wanted to know if you were ok.'_** Naruto almost smiled at the fact that Kyuubi cared about his wellbeing.

_Almost_ being the key word. _'You mean, this whole time, you could feel what I felt?! When were you planning on telling me about this?'_ He was a bit peeved at information being held from him.

Kyuubi had the grace to act sheepish. **_'It wasn't terribly important…I figured I'd tell you when it was necessary…I _did_ tell you, didn't I?'_**

Naruto felt the urge to bop her again. _'Not terribly important, she tells me. She has an empathetic link to me this whole time, and it's _not terribly important_…oye.'_ Kyuubi simply glared at him while he glared at her…reestablishing a much needed normalcy.

Naruto was the first to break the glare, and with a slight nudge, remembered that he was supposed to be training chakra control. He turned back towards his tree and took a few steps before falling down again. He sighed. Thank god for Kage Bunshin, other wise this would take forever.

He was getting ready to take another trial run at the tree when he nearly tripped because of being interrupted.

"Oi, dobe…what are you and your clones doing running up trees like an idiot?" Sasuke sounded superior as always…but with a hint of true curiosity.

Naruto decided to humor his possible cousin. "Chakra control. Run up to any tree and focus a small amount of chakra to your feet. Too much, and you'll repel from the tree, and too little and you won't stick…just the right amount, and you'll stick to the thing. Helps out your chakra control, and gives you the pretty cool ability to stick to surfaces with chakra. Try it out." Naruto then turned around to the tree he was currently practicing on, and gave it another test run.

Sasuke on the other hand, was perplexed. He had heard of being able to stick to surfaces with chakra, but he had never actually been shown the exercise to learn it…and here was the dobe of his class simply trying it like it was nothing. Sasuke got slightly peeved. If the dobe could try it, then by god, so could he.

Sasuke ran up to a tree, and doing as Naruto had said, he focused chakra to his feet. He gave the tree an experimental touch, and then without further ado, proceeded to walk up a few steps before losing control and dropping down. With a visible scowl, he tried again, and again, and again, until he finally figured out that this might not be as easy as he thought it was.

Nevertheless, he continued, just as Naruto was. He would not be left behind.

Naruto on the other hand, simply smirked. That's one of the other reasons Naruto thought Sasuke was an ok person. He took being a ninja seriously, unlike many. Naruto would freely admit…when he first signed up to be a ninja, he thought it was simply another job…albeit a _really cool_ one. As he learned more about what Shinobi did, however, he began to realize that being a ninja was more than simply doing a job. It was fighting. It was pushing ones self to the limit, and then beyond it. It was _killing_. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. That's one of the reasons, he surmised, that he didn't have much of a feeling for Sakura at the moment. She most certainly did _not_ take the job of being a Shinobi seriously. Her whole reason to be a Shinobi was for the express purpose of being with Sasuke…and he realized with a frown that that might just one day get her killed.

As he began running up the tree again, he looked over his shoulder to see that Sakura hadn't moved from the spot she was in. She had undoubtedly heard his explanation of the exercise…she was no more than a few feet away from Sasuke when he had explained it. She was simply sitting down, ogling Sasuke, and absently petting Kyuubi. He frowned. This was an exercise that she should be learning just as much as he and Sasuke should be.

He dropped down after another attempt, and instead of running at the tree again, he turned towards Sakura. "Oi, Sakura…aren't you going to try this exercise? Even though you're a Kunoichi, you still need to work on chakra control." He had by this time walked up to within a few meters of Sakura and crossed his arms over his chest.

She looked at him as though he had grown another head. "What, and waste my energy before the test? Whatever test Kakashi-sensei has planned for us, I want to be fresh for. Besides, I'm comfortable here."

Naruto shook his head. "If Kakashi-sensei's tardiness yesterday was any indication, he won't be here for another few hours. Are you telling me that you're just going to spend hours sitting here because you're _comfortable_, when you could instead be training?" Naruto hoped beyond hope that whatever small amount of faith he had in Sakura wasn't unfounded.

Unfortunately, it was. "Training before a physical test? That may be ok for you, but I'm not about to get sent back to the academy because I was stupid enough to waste my energy!" She looked so _sure_ in her assertion that Naruto just somehow _knew_ that reasoning with her was a lost cause.

He simply shrugged and walked back to his tree. He could almost feel Kyuubi mentally agreeing with him in his mind. A team was only as strong as their weakest member…and it was becoming painfully obvious who that was.

----------------------------------------------------------------

It was times like this that he realized just how awesome his own chakra capacity was.

It had been approximately two and a half hours since Naruto had started his chakra control exercise, and while he and his clones had undoubtedly made progress, he wasn't even showing that he was winded. In fact, the only thing that showed he had even been training was the fact that he had a slight sheen of sweat covering his body.

Sasuke on the other hand, was almost wheezing with exertion. He had made great progress as well…he had made it almost half way up the tree before he had to stop. Naruto too had made it half way up the tree…but he had yet to dispel his Kage Bunshin. He had no doubt that when he did, he'd have the tree walking exercise down pat.

He decided to do just that. With a half-ram seal, he sent a pulse of chakra to his clones and with another puff of smoke over the area, his clones dispersed.

And Naruto all but collapsed.

The influx of information was incredible. His mind felt as though it was under tremendous pressure. He suddenly just _understood_ how to walk up a tree with chakra. It was as if he had been doing it for a month…and ostensibly he had. With his Kage Bunshin, he had logged close to seven hundred and fifty hours of training…roughly equivalent to thirty one days of training in a little under two and a half hours. He marveled at the usefulness of Kage Bunshin. This had been his first real taste of how to train with them…and he loved it.

Gathering himself, he ran at the tree he had just been practicing on, and with little effort, was able to scale the entire tree as if it were an every day occurrence. He was able to jump on the branches, hang upside down, and even jump from tree to tree on the way up as if it were nothing. He couldn't help but let a wide smile creep onto his face. This was _amazing_.

Unseen to Naruto, Sasuke had a wide scowl on his visage. After two and a half hours of intense training that had left him everything but passed out, he had managed to make it only half way up the tree. To him, this had been fine…Naruto had only accomplished roughly the same. But when he saw the Kage Bunshin disperse, and Naruto walk up the tree as if it were nothing…it pissed him off. What was Naruto doing so much differently than him that he could learn the entire exercise in the space it took Sasuke to simply get the hang of it?

Naruto did notice, however, that Sasuke had virtually no chakra left. That much was evidenced through the fact that the brooding Uchiha was barely able to move. He frowned. That most certainly wouldn't do.

'_Oi, Kyuubi…is there any way that I can give Sasuke some of my Chakra to fill him up? I mean, I have more than enough to give him a boost, right?'_ He didn't get an answer for a second, but then he felt the familiar stirring in the back of his mind that signified the Kyuubi coming to.

'**_You're still almost full on chakra…so yeah, you do have enough. As to if you can give him any…I think so. My guess is that you simply flow a large amount of chakra through one of your hands directly into his chakra coils. The coils should absorb it readily."_** Naruto nodded, and proceeded to make his way over to Sasuke.

Sasuke noticed this and became confused. Was he coming over to gloat? Perhaps to shove it in his face that he was so much better than him? He scowled and readied a few choice retorts before he became even more confused. He was lifting up his shirt and placing his hand on his stomach. Truthfully, he wondered just what the fuck he was doing.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Naruto had the nerve to chuckle. "I'm giving you chakra. I still have enough left, and you've worn yourself out. Just let me do this." Naruto proceeded to gain an aura of concentration, and then Sasuke felt…

He felt _better_. He felt energized, almost. He looked down at his stomach and found that Naruto's hand was glowing blue, and he realized with a start that Naruto was flowing his own chakra into his coils. He could feel himself start to simply _recover_, and after a few minutes, he was once again completely full of chakra as if he had never expended any at all.

Naruto was breathing only slightly more hard than he had been before. He had misjudged Sasuke's chakra capacity pretty badly. It had taken a bit out of him to refill his raven haired teammate, but he surmised that he would be completely full again soon enough. He still had at least half of his own chakra capacity full, and he could already feel Kyuubi's chakra filtering into his own system at a steady pace.

Sasuke sat up and simply stared at Naruto with a confused expression. Naruto had not only taught him a chakra exercise that very much helped his chakra control, but he had refilled his own reserves completely after he had worn himself out performing said exercise. Sasuke wasn't sure if he should be thanking his blonde haired teammate or if he should be cursing the fact that Naruto was surpassing him. He defaulted to the former.

"Thanks." His forte wasn't verbosity.

"You're welcome." Neither was Naruto's, apparently.

Naruto offered a hand to Sasuke, and with a slight scowl, Sasuke allowed himself to be helped up. He may be full on chakra, but his body was still worn out.

The two calmly walked over to Sakura, who by now was openly gaping at the two. She had never seen Sasuke and Naruto actually get along together, let alone had she seen Naruto actually _help_ Sasuke…and Sasuke had said _thank you_? She was almost wondering if perhaps Sasuke was closer to Naruto than he was to her…but quickly squashed that idea. Sasuke-kun was _hers_, and Sasuke just had yet to admit it to himself that he loved her unequivocally.

All three were broken from their musings, however, as a poof sounded in front of them, and their seemingly perpetually tardy sensei appeared from under a veil of smoke.

"Yo!"

"**YOU'RE LATE!"**

Sasuke and Naruto both were rubbing their ears furiously at the outburst from the pink haired banshee in front of them, but Kakashi seemed to simply be _amused_.

"Sorry I'm late, but a black cat crossed my path…" His explanation continued but Naruto tuned it out. Whatever it was, it was obviously a lie. He would have to find out exactly what caused his sensei and honorary godfather of sorts to be late every day.

He was broken from his musings on Kakashi's retardiness, when he heard Sakura give another outburst of **"LIAR!"** He was forced to rub his ears once again.

Kakashi just cleared his throat and produced two bells from his shuriken pouch. "Right. Well, the test today is simple, I suppose. You three are to come at me and try to get these bells from me. Whoever manages to get one of these bells from me gets to eat lunch, and passes the test. Whichever of you don't have to watch the other's eat, and gets sent back to the academy."

Sakura and Sasuke's stomach's grumbled, while Naruto's own was completely silent. It wasn't that he had been smart enough to realize that Kakashi had been lying…more that it was simply that he had forgotten completely that Kakashi had said not to eat. At that very moment, he was glad.

Sakura was the one to ask the obvious. "But Sensei, there are only two bells! That means that one of us will automatically fail!" She was almost pouting. Naruto would be pouting too if he were as weak as Sakura.

Kakashi simply shrugged and clipped the bells to his waist. "Maybe, maybe not. Anyway, when I say start, you are to use everything in your arsenal to try to get one of these bells. You can use Shuriken, Kunai…whatever you feel is necessary. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you'll never pass this test." This got an almost shocked look from the three Genin, before they set themselves to a determined demeanor. Even Sakura seemed to be determined to pass…even though it was probably more to do with Sasuke than it was with her.

Naruto's own stance showed determination, but his mind held confusion. What was the point of putting people into three person teams if individual skill determined whether you would be sent back to the academy? Furthermore, did Kakashi really expect a Genin to be able to beat a Jounin? Perhaps he would be holding back considerably…or maybe…

There had to be something _else_. There was something else going on here…too much of this simply didn't add up. Naruto put his mind to work on figuring out just what exactly was going on.

He was broken from his thoughts on the true purpose of the test by Kyuubi jumping back onto his shoulders and once again curling up around his neck. This drew an almost startled glance from Kakashi, before it became one of almost _amusement_. Perhaps he found the idea of the 'great Kyuubi no Kitsune' being a simple cute fox kit amusing. Naruto sure as hell did.

Naruto's own amused expression was soured by Kakashi's next directive. "Oh…and no summoning. This is a test for the three of you, not your summons." Naruto shot Kakashi a glare. Truthfully, he hadn't even entertained the idea of calling out a summon here…it would have caused a bit too much of a commotion. The idea that he wasn't _allowed_ to, however, peeved him to no end.

Sasuke and Sakura however just started at Kakashi as though he had suddenly put on a pink tutu. Summoning? They were Genin for Kami's sake. Did Kakashi really expect them to summon? Sakura was simply baffled, but Sasuke was also thinking that perhaps that was aimed not at them, but at Naruto. It wouldn't really surprise him if the dobe had yet another trump card hidden up his sleeve…or lack thereof.

All three were broken from their thoughts as Kakashi eye smiled and with an unceremonious gesture, he shouted, "START!"

In a blur, Sasuke and Sakura took to the trees, attempting to find a good hiding spot to strike from. Kakashi commended them on their stealth and speed…before he realized that Naruto had not been among them. He turned his head to find Naruto still leaning on the stump, giving him an obvious perplexed stare. If anyone could see beyond a _real_ mask, it was Kakashi.

Kakashi's musings over Naruto were broken as he spoke. "Kakashi-sensei…something doesn't add up here. What's really going on?"

Kakashi almost _beamed_. Truthfully, he had expected maybe Sakura or even Sasuke to grasp the concept…but for Naruto to grasp it meant that he truly had matured and gotten smarter over the last few days. Even if he was forced to send Sasuke and Sakura back to the academy, he resolved himself to teach Naruto…if for no other reason than he owed his Sensei.

Instead of giving a verbal response, he reached into his shuriken pouch. Naruto tensed, unconsciously reaching for his own Kunai. The situation was tense for a few moments, before Naruto almost face-faulted. Kakashi had pulled his orange book out of its resting spot, and was currently reading it while giggling without reservation.

Realizing that he wasn't going to get any straight answers out of their silver haired Jounin sensei, he finally leapt into the foliage, again trying to figure out what was going on.

---------------------------------------------------------

Something wasn't right here. That much was obvious.

Sasuke was currently sitting in a tree, masking his chakra signature somewhat. Not that it mattered…this guy was a Jounin. If he wanted to find him, he doubted that there was anything he could do about it. That just added to his trepidation.

They were being expected to beat a _Jounin_…not only that, but they were expected to be able to not only beat a Jounin, but be able to _take_ something from a Jounin. They were _Genin_. Sasuke knew for a fact that his skills were good…he hadn't been named rookie of the year for nothing…but that didn't at all mean he was powerful enough to take on Kakashi.

His thoughts were interrupted by a slight snapping sound below him, and with a swift kunai draw, Sasuke leapt down from his perch to attack whoever was below him.

Luckily, or unluckily, he missed with his initial strike, to find that instead of Kakashi, it was Naruto. He was currently gazing upon Sasuke from behind his mask. Sasuke suppressed an almost shudder. He never liked masks.

They stood there for a moment, each debating the merits of attacking the other, when Naruto decided to break the stalemate with words instead of Kunai.

"Something's not right here. You figured that out, right?" Sasuke suppressed his surprise. He truly hadn't figured that the dobe would figure it out.

Instead, he nodded ever so slightly. He didn't have time for this…if Naruto wasn't going to attack, then Sasuke had to find another hiding spot quickly so he could attack Kakashi.

Naruto seemed to give an almost relived sigh. "I suggest we work together. There are two bells, and two of us. Working together, we can make sure that we both pass…Sakura might be left out, but she isn't really ready to be a Ninja anyway."

Sasuke suppressed his surprise once again. Work together? With _him_? Only a few days, he would have scoffed at the idea…but now…

Naruto had created hundreds of _solid_ Bunshin. Not only that, but he had refilled Sasuke's own chakra capacity afterwards. He was obviously more powerful than he had let on in the academy…and couple that with the fact that he apparently had some sort of bloodline…perhaps the dobe would be a useful asset after all.

Then again, Sasuke had never been very good at working with others. His entire fighting style was centered on _himself_…working another person into that equation…he wasn't sure what it would do. It would either completely mess up, or they would completely overwhelm Kakashi. Truthfully, it was a lose/lose situation. If he didn't team up with Naruto, he knew that he had no chance against Kakashi. If he _did_ team up with Naruto, they _still_ probably had no chance against Kakashi. Even if they were to somehow get Sakura in the equation, they still didn't really have a chance in hell.

But it was a foregone conclusion that if Sasuke _were_ to pair up with Naruto, he had a _better_ chance.

"Fine. Just don't get in my way." Naruto seemed to relax somewhat, before he glanced back towards the clearing that Kakashi was currently reading in.

"I think I have a plan…"

------------------------------------------------

Sakura was, at the moment, cursing the fact that she hadn't taken her actual training more seriously.

This test was something that she _knew_ she had no chance with. While her book smarts and overall test scores were almost top of their class, her own true Shinobi training was…lacking, to say the least. She knew the three academy jutsu…and that was it. She knew how to throw kunai and shuriken, and she had the basic academy taijutsu style down rather well…but without any real physical strength behind them, they were akin to throwing a pebble at a boulder…it didn't do a damned thing.

Sasuke's taijutsu and other skills, on the other hand, were incredible. His taijutsu was top of their class, his shuriken and kunai throwing were unparalleled and she knew from various times that she had observed him training, that he knew at least one rudimentary fire jutsu. If _anyone_ stood even a small chance against Kakashi-sensei, it was him.

Naruto…before, she had assumed that Naruto was absolutely the worst ninja she had ever seen. He had no book smarts, his kunai and shuriken throwing was simply _adequate_, and he didn't even know one of the three academy jutsu. His taijutsu _style_ was near non-existent…it simply consisted of haphazard punches and brawling, with no real thought as to style or planning. She had been beyond surprised when he had actually managed to get a forehead protector…and absolutely astounded at his seeming overnight change from a horribly annoying pseudo-ninja to a calm calculating almost _hot_ ninja. It was a change that wasn't _bad_ by any stretch of the imagination…but she had never really imagined that he had it within him to be a good ninja.

Then she had seen him produce almost three hundred solid Kage Bunshin this morning…and not only that, but he had in the few hours between them showing up and Kakashi showing up, seemingly mastered a chakra control exercise that Sasuke himself was having trouble with. As if that weren't enough, he apparently had some sort of bloodline that gave him near infinite chakra. It had become obvious to Sakura that Naruto had easily surpassed her as a ninja…she wouldn't admit to herself that he had probably done so quite some time ago.

She let forth a sigh. There were two bells…two chances at actually passing the exam. Sasuke had the best chance to get one…Naruto probably had at least a passing chance…and she…she had virtually no chance. She would get sent back to the academy, and lose her chance to be on a team with Sasuke-kun forever. She contemplated simply going home and reporting to the academy tomorrow.

Before she could make any life-altering decisions, however, she sensed a presence behind her. Whirling around with kunai already in hand, she took up a defensive stance. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was, and then she saw no more.

------------------------------------------------

Sasuke and Naruto had seen Kakashi move from his position near the stump…and had summarily abandoned their plan. It had revolved around the concept that Kakashi wouldn't actively seek them out. That concept was broken rather loudly as they heard a scream from Sakura somewhere deeper in the forest.

Their plan still had a chance, though. All they had to do was somehow draw Kakashi back into the clearing enough so that they could put it into action. It was risky…but it was really the only chance they had.

With a nod to each other, they set out towards the spot that they had heard Sakura scream from. It didn't take them long to arrive, but when they did, they found no trace of Kakashi _or_ Sakura. The only thing that gave away that this spot had even been occupied was the fact that the leaves were displaced, and there was a broken twig on the ground.

Naruto figured that he had to chance it. If they were to find Kakashi, they needed some way to track him. Forming another half-ram seal, he focused chakra to his ears and nose this time, hoping that his chakra control had increased enough that he didn't overload himself.

For the most part, it worked. He suddenly became aware of all the minute sounds around him, and his sense of smell perked up considerably. It wasn't nearly as powerful as it was before…but Naruto was thankful for that. He wasn't entirely sure that he would have been able to take such a drastic increase in sensory perception so easily.

He closed his eyes and concentrated as he tried to find anything that gave away Kakashi's position. He could smell the forest around him, Sasuke beside him, and even the residue of Sakura from the place where she had been…he could hear termites in some of the wood to his left, and all of the little sounds that one doesn't usually hear in the forest became _alive_ to him as much as they might be a to a wild animal.

Then he found something. It was faint, but it was definitely _something_ that didn't belong. The smell was suppressed…that much he could make out rather easily. What he heard, however, was different. It was _giggling_. The same perverted giggling that he had heard before when the pervert had been reading his perverted novel. With a sour expression, he released the chakra flow to his ears and nose, and with a simple gesture of the head, he motioned Sasuke to follow him.

After a few more minutes of hopping from tree to tree, they came upon Kakashi sitting in another clearing, leaning against a tree and reading his book. Naruto couldn't be sure if they had been spotted…but they assumed they had. Kakashi _was_ a Jounin…even if they hid themselves underground, chances were that he would find them.

The clearing he was in seemed to be rather opportune. It would work rather well for the plan they had in mind. With a nod to Sasuke, Naruto bounded off into the tree tops, while Sasuke made his way towards Kakashi. Their plan only had one real shot of working, and they had to make this _count_.

--------------------------------------------------

Sakura's ability to read genjutsu had been pitiful, he decided.

It had been a rather weak genjutsu…it showed Sasuke broken, bloody and mutilated to the point of near death, and Sakura had fallen for it hook line and sinker. He hadn't even needed to knock her out, she simply fainted from shock. It was a dreadful performance, to be sure.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small amount of movement, and he immediately sensed that Sasuke _and_ Naruto were above him somewhere. He nearly smiled. They didn't get the entire meaning of the exercise, but at the very least they were willing to work together to a common goal. He took his focus off of the book and got into a somewhat ready state of mind. Fighting off both of them just _might_ require him to actually stow his book.

In a flash, Sasuke was upon him. With a deft flying kick, he attempted to nail Kakashi in the chest; however he simply sidestepped and just as deftly dodged. Sasuke. Sasuke pivoted on his left foot and attempted to hit Kakashi with a roundhouse that would have knocked him out, but again, Kakashi simply dodged.

This, of course, pissed Sasuke off.

He swung out his right arm and found it blocked by Kakashi's open palm. His left arm tried the same, only to be blocked by Kakashi's other palm. Sasuke noticed that at the very least, he had made him put away that book of his. He almost smirked.

Sasuke twisted his body in mid motion and threw his weight behind a kick aimed at Kakashi's midsection. The older Nin twisted his palms out of the way and with a crossing motion, blocked Sasuke's kick rather easily.

Sasuke saw his chance. With another twisting motion, he brought his right hand out to Kakashi's waist and stretched his middle finger out to try to grab one of the bells. Unfortunately for him, Kakashi saw this motion, and with a burst of chakra to his legs, he flew backwards out of the raven haired Nin's grasp.

Kakashi nearly smiled. Sasuke was _good_. His taijutsu was superb…enough to warrant him to put his book away. This kid was certainly something else.

"I will acknowledge that you're different from the others…but you're still not good enough to get a bell from me. Maybe you should try again next year?" Kakashi _loved_ taunting.

Sasuke took the bait, predictably, although Kakashi was now wondering if perhaps he shouldn't have egged him on. With hand seals that Kakashi intimately recognized, Sasuke ended with a tiger seal and somehow shouted even while his mouth was occupied, **"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**

Kakashi's eyes widened and he disappeared from everyone's view as Sasuke's fireball descended upon him. After a few seconds of the searing red hot flame burning the spot where Kakashi had stood, it burnt out, and Sasuke looked on astonished as Kakashi simply _wasn't there_.

Sasuke began feverishly looking around, attempting to find the silver haired Nin anywhere, before he felt something stir beneath him. In a flash, Sasuke realized where Kakashi was. But not quickly enough.

"**Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu!"**

Kakashi grabbed both of Sasuke's feet, and with a deft pull, dragged him underground, leaving naught but his head exposed. Sasuke's expression wore a deep scowl, and Kakashi simply looked as he always did.

That is, until Sasuke popped out of existence.

Sasuke…the _real_ Sasuke, appeared out of the trees, aiming a flying kick for Kakashi once again. But this time, he was flanked by almost fifty different shadow clones, all of them henge'd to look like Sasuke. Kakashi almost cursed. Sasuke had used kawarimi with a shadow clone right before he had dragged him underground. It was a great strategy, and only by working with Naruto could Sasuke have ever pulled it off.

Kakashi blocked Sasuke's kick with an arm, and proceeded to take out a kunai. He was surrounded by over fifty different Kage Bunshin, Sasuke, and he didn't know where exactly Naruto was. It was a bad situation.

Three of the Kage Bunshin appeared on his left side, aiming to punch or kick him in different areas of his body. He swung his kunai in a backhanded grip towards them, feeling satisfied when he managed to make all three poof out of existence. However, as he had been doing that, three other Kage Bunshin from his right side had attacked in the same way. He pulled out another kunai, this time in his other hand, and swung it in the same fashion as he had the other.

It passed right through them. They were regular Bunshin.

Or rather, two of them were. He was off balance from having his attack overextended, and the third Bunshin managed to connect with Kakashi's upper shoulder, further throwing the Jounin off balance. He corrected easily and plunged the kunai into the Kage Bunshin's thigh, before turning around to see Sasuke readying yet another Katon jutsu.

He made ready to push chakra to his legs to get out of the area, when he noticed that he was weighted down. He looked down in horror to see that the Bunshin, or what he thought was a Bunshin that he had plunged his kunai into was the real Naruto. Six other Kage Bunshin attached themselves to Kakashi as quickly as possible, and suddenly he found himself all but trapped under the weight of over seven different Naruto's.

The rest of the Kage Bunshin dispersed, as Sasuke jumped up in the air and shouted, **"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**

The fireball came hurtling down on Kakashi, and he knew that the only way to stop it in time was with his own jutsu. Pushing chakra into his own limbs, he managed to overpower the Bunshin holding him down, and after punching Naruto in the gut sending him flying the other direction, he made his hand seals and shouted his own jutsu.

"**Suiton: Suijinheki!"**

A wall of water materialized in front of Kakashi at the last possible moment, creating a rather loud hissing sound to emanate from the spot where the giant fireball had crashed into it. After the commotion died down, a mist settled over the area, obscuring everyone from vision.

Kakashi was _impressed_. Not only had they teamed up to try to beat him, but they had made him actually use _two_ Ninjutsu. While they might not have gotten the bells-

Kakashi froze as his hand glided over the area where his bells _had_ been. Realization washed over him as he realized just when Naruto had taken the bells. He had allowed himself to underestimate both of them, and when he had stabbed Naruto in the thigh, thinking that it was a Kage Bunshin, he had let his guard down for just an instant…long enough for Naruto to grab the bells and grab him around the waist to hold him in place so that Sasuke could nail him with a Goukakyuu. It had been ingenious…and it had _relied_ on the fact that Kakashi would underestimate their abilities. Under normal circumstances, a plan like that would have never worked on him…but he didn't believe that Sasuke could perform a fire jutsu…and he didn't know that Naruto had such a keen sense of timing. This time, he did smile. Naruto and Sasuke had at the very least earned the right to a second chance at it all…they hadn't fully grasped the true meaning of the test, but they had gotten _very_ close. And they _had_ gotten the bells.

He had also noticed Sakura in the treetops…she would need to be _adjusted_ before she could be a member of this team. He had just the idea of how to do that, while at the same time accomplishing getting the real idea across to Sasuke and Naruto. He smiled almost sadistically.

With a loud ringing sound, the alarm clock in the middle of the area went off, and Kakashi got his book out of his shuriken pouch once again and sighed. It seemed as if he would actually be taking on a Genin team this time…there went all his free time…

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura didn't curse often, but this time, she figured, she could make an exception.

She had been caught in a rudimentary genjutsu…she was smart enough to at least recognize that, but only _after_ the fact. It hadn't lasted long…only about ten minutes passed before the genjutsu wore off…but it was enough to put her ten minutes behind the others.

Sakura sighed. She could feel three chakra presences in the brush, and could hear just bits and pieces of a pitched battle that was going on. She assumed that Sasuke was the one battling her sensei…after all, if Naruto went up against Kakashi, it wouldn't be a _battle_, so much as a slaughter. Naruto was probably hanging by his feet somewhere, simply observing…and she was just sitting on the ground doing nothing. She briefly entertained the idea of going to help Sasuke, but remembered that this was an individual exercise. Besides, if Sasuke managed to get the bells, who would he give the other one to, Naruto, or Her? It was a no brainier, at least in her mind.

Against her better judgment, however, she began to make her way towards the sounds of the battle. As she approached the clearing, she noticed that Naruto was indeed up in the trees, simply gazing upon the battle. But she noticed something else, too. There were a few dozen Kage Bunshin in the trees with him, all henge'd to look like Sasuke. It was almost as if he was _waiting_ for something.

She drew the conclusion that Naruto was waiting until Sasuke got a bell, and then attack _him_ instead of Kakashi. The nerve! She would definitely have to do something about it.

She hopped up the trees, gaining altitude until she was even with Naruto. "Na-ru-to! I can't believe you're going to attack Sasuke-kun!" She was truly pissed. Naruto _knew_ that he didn't have a chance against Sensei, so he would take the coward's way out and attack _her_ Sasuke-kun! Inner Sakura was just dying to get out.

Naruto on the other hand was confused, and just a little peeved. He had absolutely no intentions of attacking Sasuke…and that little outburst from Sakura may just have given his position away. Sasuke's diversion may be for nothing. He decided that he needed to get rid of her.

"Sakura! I'm not going to attack Sasuke! Get out of here or be quiet, I don't care which…this plan has to work, and you're being too loud." Naruto switched his gaze back to the fight occurring below them, and noticed that Sasuke's Goukakyuu had just burned out. It was almost time for them to go.

Sakura, however, hadn't taken his advice. She was livid. Not only was Naruto _lying_ about his intentions, but he had the gall to call her _loud_? Inner Sakura took hold, and with a piece of skewed logic, she moved to attack Naruto before he could mess up _her_ Sasuke-kun's chances of being a ninja!

She was caught from behind by what she assumed was a Sasuke clone. "Where did she come from?" She was puzzled for a moment…the clones wouldn't have to ask Naruto about that, right?

Naruto seemed to sigh. "I have no clue…she seems to think that I'm trying to attack you." Sakura blanched. This _was_ Sasuke holding her.

Sasuke simply scowled and unceremoniously threw Sakura off of the branch they were on. Sakura managed to land feet first, but she was now more confused than ever. With a start, she saw the Sasuke that was out fighting Kakashi poof out of existence, and the horde of Sasuke's that resided in the tree branches took that moment to charge.

Sakura realized in a flash of inspiration, that Naruto and Sasuke _were_ working together. Not only that, but she had just tried to _attack_ Naruto…while Sasuke and Naruto were working together, she was working against them…

It was almost enough to make Sakura tear up. Sasuke and Naruto would surely pass…together, they would simply overwhelm Kakashi…and she would be left out. They worked as a _team_…and she simply wasn't part of that equation. She noticed that the battle had come to a close, and there was a fine mist over the area. After a few more moments, the mist cleared, revealing Kakashi standing in the middle of the clearing, reading his book once again.

And then it was all over when she heard the bell. She dropped her head and let a few tears fall. She didn't have any chance of being a Ninja now. She would be sent back to the academy, and she would lose her chance to be with Sasuke-kun forever.

She suddenly felt a presence behind her and turned around to see Kakashi gazing at her with a deadpan expression. "It seems as though you didn't manage to get a bell…you know what that means." Kakashi simply turned around and headed for the original clearing, a bleary eyed Sakura trudging behind him. This day couldn't _get_ any worse.

----------------------------------------

Naruto watched with an _almost_ satisfied smirk as Sakura was unceremoniously tied to the post. Their plan had worked almost perfectly…save for the slight interruption and almost foiling of it by Sakura.

Naruto couldn't help but feel a bit…off…however. It wasn't that he felt bad for Sakura…at least, not _that_ bad. He could imagine the pain of having to relive the academy, and that much made him feel at the very least somewhat empathetic towards the girl….but his mind was simply not clicking the way it was supposed to.

He had _never_ heard of two man teams. Genin squads were made up of three Genin, and a Jounin instructor…or at least, that's what he'd read somewhere. The concept of a two Genin and one instructor setup was never mentioned, and he couldn't recall ever meeting one…unless he were to come upon a team that had lost a member somewhere along the way.

There was something else going on here, and Naruto needed to find out what it was.

His thoughts were interrupted by his sensei finishing his job of tying Sakura to the post, and then summarily producing two bento's from…somewhere. He didn't exactly want to inquire as to _where_.

Kakashi redirected his gaze to Naruto and Sasuke and gave an eye-smile. "You two did excellently in getting the two bells from me. You showed great teamwork by working together." His eye smile changed however, into a simple glare.

"Sakura, on the other hand, did not. You didn't give _any_ thought to using teamwork, even when you could have easily asked Naruto and Sasuke if you could help them. You even had the audacity to attack Naruto when you _thought_ Sasuke was the target of Naruto's attack. You didn't even bother to find out. Teammates do not attack teammates, Sakura." If possible, Sakura's expression got even more sullen.

Kakashi's eye smile returned quickly. "There's no reason for any of you to return to the academy, however." At this, Sakura perked up considerably while Naruto and Sasuke shared a questioning glance.

Kakashi paused for a moment before his eye smile got even more pronounced. "Instead, you all should quit being ninja!" His eye smile was gone.

Naruto nearly face faulted at hearing this outburst from Kakashi. Quit being Ninja? Him and Sasuke had managed to get the requisite bells from their teacher…Kakashi had even complimented them on it! What exactly was going on?!

His answer came in the form of a rather ticked off Kakashi. "Sasuke, Naruto…while you got the closest to the true meaning of this test, you still managed to fail. You chose to work together, and completely exclude your third teammate from the equation. You gave no thought to Sakura whatsoever."

"And Sakura refused to work with Naruto at all, preferring to try to gain favor with Sasuke. She even attacked Naruto when she believed that he was a hindrance to Sasuke. Because of all of that, _none_ of you will pass."

Sasuke was pissed, and it showed when he blindly charged Kakashi. In a flash of motion, Kakashi had pinned him in a typical submission posture with a Kunai to his neck. "You three think that this is a _game_ or something? You're _ninja_. You're going to be out on the field in life or death situations, and you're going to have to rely on your teammates to help you, or you're going to _die_."

He held his kunai even closer to Sasuke's neck. "What do you think the real purpose of this test was? Why do you think we were divided up into _three_ man teams? Is it just because it makes it easier to send people back to the academy? No. It is because you are to learn what it _really_ means to be a ninja."

"You three didn't get the true purpose of this test." He sent a particularly nasty glare at Sakura and Naruto.

It finally clicked.

"Teammwork…" Naruto managed to breathe it out, shocked that he hadn't seen it earlier. Sakura and Sasuke both turned to him, both with somewhat confused expressions on their face.

"This test…it was never meant to test our skills…no one expects a Genin, or even a few Genin, to beat a Jounin in a fight…this test…the reason we're in three man teams…it's teamwork. We have to show teamwork to pass…right, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi almost grinned. "Exactly. Working together, you got the bells. But Sasuke, Naruto, neither of you gave any real thought to including Sakura, preferring to sacrifice her to achieve your _mission_. And Sakura, you didn't even give a passing thought to even _trying_ to get a bell from me, nor did you even think about teaming up with the other two, did you?" She had the grace to look ashamed.

"Missions are life and death situations. For example…Sakura! Kill Naruto or Sasuke dies!" All three prospective Genin tensed visibly at that, and Sakura even made a slight gesture to her kunai pouch before Kakashi released Sasuke and put away his own kunai rather slowly.

"That's the sort of thing that can happen on a mission. You need to be able to have actual teamwork to accomplish a mission, rather than blithely ignoring it and sacrificing those on your team."

Kakashi seemed to bore his gaze into all three Genin before his expression softened slightly. "I'll give you three a second chance…you'll have to get the bells from me again, but neither of you are to give Sakura any food, understood? If she eats _anything_, you're all disqualified." With that, he poofed out of existence, leaving three bewildered Genin in his wake.

Or rather, two bewildered Genin. Naruto immediately understood what was going on…he knew Kakashi at least that much. With a gesture, he drew a Kunai and cut Sakura down from the post, and with another gesture, his bento and utensils were in Sakura's lap.

Sasuke seemed to catch on, offering a slight smirk. He too gave his bento to Sakura with a gesture, and then leaned back against the log, awaiting what was to come.

Sakura on the other hand, simply blanched. "Wh-what…what are you two doing? You heard Kakashi-sensei…if I get any food…we…we all fail…" She trailed off at the end, as if regretting her actions after the fact.

Naruto simply smiled. Perhaps she had _some_ hope after all. "I'm not about to go barreling into a fight with Kakashi-sensei with a hungry and weakened teammate. Eat up. Sasuke still has plenty of energy left, and I ate this morning by accident. Just eat up…I don't smell Kakashi anywhere nearby." It was a carefully placed lie…he hadn't even tried to smell him out…but he had an inkling that he'd be a bit better hidden than he was before.

Sakura simply smiled a slight sad smile. "Thank you…both of you…I…I'm sorry. For how I acted out there. We'll work together this time, ne?" She smiled at Naruto and Sasuke, who both smiled back…Naruto a bit more than Sasuke.

As predicted, Kakashi took that moment to appear, spewing hellfire and brimstone as if the apocalypse was upon them. "You! You gave her food! What did I tell you about that?!"

They flinched, more from the force he was using than the consequences. "You know the consequences! You three…you three…!"

The sky cleared somehow, and Kakashi's expression changed immediately…making Naruto wonder about any possible bi-polar disease that his sensei may have.

"You three pass! Congratulations!" Sasuke simply smirked, Naruto smiled widely, and only Sakura seemed surprised…but her brains seemed to kick in, and she finally realized just exactly what was going on.

This earned Naruto a bop on the head. "You planned this, didn't you? You didn't give me your bento because you wanted to, you did it because it would pass us!" She shook her fist at Naruto before Naruto gave her a placating gesture, making both of them laugh somewhat. It was a good tension breaker.

"Because you put your teammates ahead of your own wants and needs, you three will become Genin in team seven! That's what it means to be a ninja…" Kakashi trailed off before he turned to face the three Genin.

Kakashi simply eye-smiled again, before his expression grew somewhat solemn. He walked over to a stone that sat near the edge of the training ground and kneeled next to it, staying silent for a moment before he spoke in a softer tone.

"This stone…this stone marks all of those who have given their lives in the service of the village. Quite a few of my friend's names are on this stone…and one friend in particular…" He seemed to trail off and get an almost reminiscent look on his face.

"He told me something that to this day, I follow with all that I am. He told me, 'Those who don't follow the rules are considered trash…but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'. I refuse to teach a team that doesn't recognize this." Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura's expressions dimmed somewhat at this, but all three recognized the importance of what he was saying.

After a few more moments, Kakashi broke from his reverie and turned towards the three Genin who were simply sitting there. "Right. Tomorrow we start missions as Team Seven. Be at the bridge just south of here at eight o'clock sharp every morning." All three gave him a look that clearly told him to stick that where the sun didn't shine, but he just waved them off, and with a poofing sound, disappeared from existence.

The three new Genin just sat there for a moment before Naruto smiled and stood up, noticing that throughout the entire ordeal, Kyuubi hadn't woken up at all. He almost bopped her on the head, but decided to let it go. She deserved her rest.

"Well, I'm off to train…I'll see you all tomorrow." Naruto threw a gesture to Sasuke and Sakura before putting his hands in his pockets and sauntering off.

He was stopped by Sasuke. "Wait. That training you did this morning…who did you learn it from?" Sasuke seemed a bit peeved that Naruto was obviously receiving 'special' training of some sort.

Naruto almost flinched. How was he supposed to answer that? He couldn't exactly tell them that a rampaging nine tailed fox was stuck inside of him and now teaching him things…but…he could tell them something about _family_…it was sufficiently vague.

"I found out about my…family…yesterday. I've been learning off of some of their scrolls." He again, managed to punctuate it with a solemn tone.

It worked like a charm…again. Sasuke had another understanding look on his face, and Sakura again looked at him with a pitying gaze. Naruto was forcibly reminded however, about his plight regarding Sasuke. Sasuke _was_ his family…and Sasuke was obviously suffering due to the fact that _his_ only family was a mass murdering nuke-nin. Not to mention the fact that Sasuke may have valuable information regarding the Sharingan that Naruto _would_ eventually need.

Then again, the Sharingan was something he really wouldn't have to worry about for a while. While he did have the ability to activate the bloodline limit, he hadn't, yet…and until he did, he really didn't have any reason to worry about it. That just left him with the pseudo-moral quandary of telling Sasuke or not…and there were implications regarding _that_ particular divulgence that he absolutely needed guidance on.

In the end, he decided that he needed to talk to Kakashi or the Hokage…or both.

"Anyway, I'll talk to you guys tomorrow…Ja ne!" With that, he proceeded to ninja-run towards the Hokage tower as fast as his legs would carry him.

Sasuke was slightly unnerved. Naruto had been staring at him after he had talked about his family…for almost a good thirty seconds. What the hell did _that_ mean? He put that into the back of his head, and proceeded to make his way to the Uchiha district. If the dobe was training, then he would too.

--------------------------------------------------------

"Ah, Kakashi, there you are! May I assume that you deprived yet another team of youthful youths from their pursuit of being a ninja?" Oh joy. Gai was here too.

Kakashi had expected Kurenai and Asuma to be here when he arrived…but he had never expected _Gai_ of all people to be here. Unless he was here for some sort of a mission debriefing, he had no business actually being here when the newest Jounin senseis reported their team's success or failure.

Of course, he couldn't let Gai know that. "Hmm? Did you say something?" This got the requisite reaction out of the green 'beast', as he began prancing around the room shouting something about being 'hip'…he didn't really listen.

That's not to say that he didn't take Gai seriously. The man was probably the most skilled and strong overall Jounin out of any of his peers, excluding himself. The man was an absolute monster when it came to hand-to-hand fighting, and his jutsu skills were incredible when he was actually forced to use them…under the physical duress of opening the celestial gates, of course. If someone were ever to actually force his true opinion of the man out of him, it would be an absolutely glowing report, and Kakashi trusted the man implicitly. Overall, he was probably the closest thing he actually had to a 'friend'…but he would _never_ admit it.

Not that he needed to. He and Gai had a…thing. They understood each other almost perfectly. Gai understood that Kakashi was a deeply emotionally scarred man who read Icha Icha paradise for the express purpose of escaping reality, and Kakashi understood that Gai was one of the most goal oriented, motivated, and serious people that lived, when forced to be…his mask was simply to protect him emotionally. Gai's own past wasn't exactly peachy, either.

He was broken from his musings on his strange friendship with the green-spandex wearing freak across the room when the Hokage opened his office door and strode in, giving Gai a look that clearly showed amusement as well as exasperation. His act _could_ wear on the nerves sometimes.

They were all broken from their thoughts as the Hokage sat down and motioned to Gai to turn in his mission report. Gai at that moment showed his serious side, calmly walking over to the Hokage and handing in his report. With a nod to Kakashi, he simply disappeared from view…pure speed, too. No poof no jutsu.

The Hokage glanced over the mission report, grimacing slightly over something that was particularly gruesome, Kakashi imagined…Gai got some of the toughest missions of any Jounin, and he had probably killed more men than even Kakashi had in his lifetime…which was saying something. The Hokage put down the mission report and calmly took a puff on his pipe before motioning to his son Asuma…somewhat unacknowledged as he was…to give his own report.

Asuma took a puff on his own cigarette and calmly delivered it. "Team 10 passes. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji showed that they had ample skill and teamwork abilities to pass my test…they're not without their faults though. Ino is bossy, rude, and shows no real compunction to follow the lead of others, but when push comes to shove she does what's needed. She's mature for her age, no doubt about that. Shikamaru is almost her antithesis…lazy, uncaring and no motivation whatsoever…but he's smart. _Very_ smart…I'll probably end up giving him an impromptu IQ test later…but he can come up with strategies in a heartbeat that rival even the best Jounin strategists. Chouji…he follows Shikamaru with an almost blind loyalty. He's kind, generous, and while smart, is certainly no genius. He's as powerful as his father was at his age…with the right training, he could be absolutely incredible. Altogether, they make a good team…just about as well as their parents, really." Asuma took another puff on his cigarette, and the Hokage nodded to him. The new Ino-Shika-Cho line up was almost a given to pass…it just remained to be seen if they really could live up to their parents shadow.

The Hokage took another puff on his pipe and motioned to Kurenai to begin. "Team 8 passes. Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Hyuuga Hinata passed my test with flying colors. Kiba is a blowhard and has the beginnings of being a pervert…but he's strong, loyal to a fault and shows that he _does_ have a mature side when pressed. Shino…is an enigma, just as much as any Aburame is. He's good at what he does, uses logic to solve most problems, and works well in a team environment. Hinata…has a definite confidence problem. She's adequate with her family taijutsu style, and shows a basic proficiency with academy jutsu…but her lack of confidence or even motivation is a definite disadvantage of hers. Overall though, they work well as a team…they'll do." Kurenai threw a furtive glance towards Asuma and stepped back, before the Hokage nodded to her as well and turned his gaze to Kakashi.

Kurenai and Asuma did the same, but they both had an almost knowing look on their face. Kakashi hadn't passed a Genin team for his entire tenure as a Jounin outside of ANBU…and even though he had two of the villages most famous…or infamous…orphans on his team…it didn't guarantee at all that they would pass.

"Team 7 passes." Kurenai and Asuma both had shocked expressions on their face, before they schooled themselves back into ones of simply amused surprise. This would be an interesting story.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Uzum…aki…Naruto showed that they _can_ work in a team…if given the right incentive." Everyone noticed his stumbling over the 'Uzumaki' in Naruto's name, but paid it little heed. "They'll need some work…the Uchiha is a brooder and relies mostly on himself for everything…but he has shown at least a bit of camaraderie with Naruto. Sakura fawns over Sasuke to a fault…and I'll need to break her of it…but she _could_ be a good ninja if she tries. Naruto has immense potential for obvious and not so obvious reasons…and he has shown that he's matured considerably since gaining the title of Genin. All three have their pro's and con's…but they showed that they can meet the requirements to pass my test." The Hokage nodded, a knowing smile on his face. He was about to congratulate them and give them more detailed instructions when the door behind them burst open.

"Damn it, I don't care if I need an appointment, I _will_ speak to the old man! If you want to stop me, call the damn ANBU or something!" Kakashi almost grinned…it was definitely Naruto.

The Hokage just shook his head and sighed. Naruto was still _Naruto_, despite his changes in the past 48 hours. It was almost refreshing, and a bit comforting. He gestured to the almost exasperated Chuunin that was desperately trying to stop Naruto from entering the office with his free hand, signaling to let the boy in. Whatever it was, he should just get it out of the way now, he supposed.

"Naruto-kun, what brings you here so soon after your Genin test?" Everyone in the room noticed the fox that was trailing after him extremely closely…it looked like it was scared out of its wits…it probably was.

Naruto simply glanced at the occupants of the room and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He hadn't meant to actually _intrude_ on the old man…he just needed some clarification. "Uh, ojii-san…I kind of need to ask some questions about some of the jutsu…in…_the basement_…" This immediately got the elderly Hokage's attention, as well as Kakashi's. Kurenai and Asuma just looked confused.

"Ah, I see Naruto. Kurenai-san, Asuma-san, if you'd be so kind as to give us a bit of privacy…" Kurenai nodded to the Hokage, striding out the back door, while Asuma just stared at Naruto for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and poofing away. Naruto almost sighed. He was beginning to wonder if someone was going to ask him questions.

He took a seat in front of the Hokage again, noting that Kakashi took up a position by the window. "Ojii-san…uh…well, I wanted to ask about 'elemental affinity'…and also, about something to do with Sasuke." Kakashi looked mildly surprised, while the old man just chuckled.

"Elemental affinity, eh? I had figured as much." He took the pipe out of his mouth and pulled something out of a drawer of his desk. It was a simple square sheet of paper, no larger than a few inches in overall perimeter. He handed it to a confused Naruto before setting down his pipe.

"That sheet of paper tells people what their elemental affinities are. Elemental affinities…are basically what different elements a particular ninja is able to wield the most effectively. For instance, I can wield all elements to some degree, but I have the most effectiveness with both fire and earth. Kakashi here can manipulate most elements to a certain extent, but he can wield lightning and water more effectively than others. Most people start out with one or two elemental affinities, and end up with 3, or sometimes four…very, _very_ rarely, someone has the ability to wield all five. There hasn't been someone like that in hundreds of years, however." He noticed that Naruto had taken off his mask, and had an almost half-perplexed and half-understanding look on his face. Sarutobi just chuckled.

"Naruto, channel some of your chakra into that piece of paper, and we'll find out your elemental affinities. Depending on what the chakra does in relation to your chakra, we'll be able to tell." Naruto looked as though he understood that much, and as he closed his eyes, he directed chakra to his hand.

Sarutobi and Kakashi looked both shocked and amused, at least somewhat. The aged Hokage almost laughed. Imagine, a Genin having three elemental affinities…it was almost unheard of.

The paper was split vertically down the middle, a sign that the boy could wield wind chakra…not surprising, considering his father's own affinity for it. The top of the paper was also smoldering somewhat after having burned rather fiercely. His fire element came from the Uchiha, no doubt. His third affinity, however, was most perplexing. Neither of his parents had actually shown any real talent in earth element jutsu…how he had gained such affinity with it would take some investigating.

Kakashi simply smiled. Wind and fire complimented each other tremendously well…fire burned, wind severed, and both combined absolutely incinerated. Earth on the other hand was an affinity that only a few people in Konoha actually had. Then again, so was wind. To Kakashi's knowledge, the only person who was an active wind chakra user in Konoha was Sarutobi Asuma…the Hokage's son. He only knew of a scant few people who could use earth jutsu effectively…himself being one of them, even if only somewhat. He had learned quite a few Doton jutsu in the war with stone during his youth…it seemed as though he had someone he could pass them on to.

Sarutobi simply smiled. Wind to compliment his close range fighting, fire to make up his long range fighting, and earth to protect…it was an absolutely perfect trifecta. "Well, it seems as though you have talents with earth, wind and fire equally. That's extremely rare, you know." Naruto absolutely _beamed_. He had something _else_ that was rare. Damn _straight_.

Sarutobi just sighed. "Well, that answers one question…you can come to us with help with jutsu and whatnot whenever you need, of course. Kakashi would probably be a better outlet for that than I would however…being that I'm constantly busy." He shot his paperwork a glare that would have melted titanium…but paperwork by its nature was immune.

Kakashi simply nodded. "I know a fair share of earth jutsu…and if I remember correctly, Asuma is a wind element user. You can ask almost any Nin born in Konoha to teach you fire, though. It's our own element, after all." Naruto simply nodded. They _did_ live in fire country.

Sarutobi remembered that Naruto had had a second question when he initially came in, and sobered somewhat thinking of it. It was a bit of a sensitive topic.

Noticing the Hokage's change in demeanor, Naruto sobered somewhat as well. "As for the Uchiha boy…" The Hokage sighed. "That's up to your discretion, Naruto. He _is_ your blood family…but as you well know, there is more to family than blood relation. You _will_ need access to some of the Uchiha scrolls at some point to learn more about your Sharingan, so it would probably behoove you to tell the boy at some point…not to mention the fact that both of you are completely without family…it would probably do you both some good to know that you aren't alone in this world." The Hokage desperately wanted Naruto and Sasuke to become friends…Sasuke needed a friend, and family…and Naruto needed them just as much. He wasn't going to force them, however.

Naruto seemed to be pensive for a moment before his face hardened somewhat, but with a softer tinge to it. "You're right…family is more than just blood…but…he _is_ family…" He sighed again, as if coming to some internal conclusion.

"I'll talk with him…sometime…probably soon, I guess. But…I don't know if I want to tell him _everything_…you know?" The Hokage nodded. He guessed that Naruto would be sensitive about revealing some of his secrets.

Kakashi on the other hand simply put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him another patented eye smile. "You don't have to tell him what you don't want to, Naruto. I think though…that you underestimate some people. I don't think Sasuke would hold much of what you are against you. He may have a cold exterior…but he's just about as fragile as you are underneath the mask he's set up to the world. Give him a chance. That's all _I'll_ ask of you." Naruto seemed to mull this for a moment before giving a soft nod in Kakashi's direction. Naruto would be the first to acknowledge to his closest friends that he had an emotional shell…it was an absolute necessity.

Kakashi simply patted him on the shoulder and bowed slightly to the Hokage before poofing away. Naruto scowled again, once again resolving to learn that jutsu. He was about to say his own goodbyes to the Hokage, before he was reminded by his…other half…that there was something else to learn, as well.

'**_Remember to ask him about the medical chakra thing…you won't be able to use that particular part of your seal until you have someone train you in it.'_** Naruto perked up somewhat and gave a mental nudge of thanks to the Kyuubi before turning back to the Hokage.

"Um…ojii-san…one last thing. Is there anyone you know that can teach me how to make medical chakra?"

The Hokage blinked. Why on earth would Naruto need to know about medical chakra? Surely he didn't have the chakra control necessary to actually _make_ medical chakra, let alone use it…

As if sensing his question, Naruto told him about finding the seal diagram in the basement, and the different components to it. Sarutobi was awed, and he too began to realize just how much of a genius the blonde haired Hokage had been. He mulled over Naruto's question for a moment before finally setting on a course of action.

He pulled out a notepad and wrote something down on it before handing it to Naruto. "Go to the hospital sometime, and ask for someone named Yakushi Kabuto. He's a Genin like you, but he has an intimate grasp of healing. He should be able to tell you what you need to know about medical chakra." Seeing Naruto's almost apprehensive face, Sarutobi just chuckled.

"Kabuto is a very nice young man…even if he did know about…you….he wouldn't hold it against you. Rest assured, he'll teach you what you need to know, especially after being ordered to do so by me." Naruto positively beamed at the prospect of having someone who would actually be nice to him, aside from those who knew him, or were his friends. It was a rarity to find someone who wouldn't just dismiss him out of hand. He was also tremendously thankful to the old man for having someone teach him about medical chakra, even if it was just a passing course. He already had someone to teach him about anatomy and whatnot…he simply needed to know how to manipulate medical chakra.

"Arigato, Ojii-san! I owe you one!" Naruto stood up and bowed to the Hokage before waving goodbye and running out the door at a breakneck pace. Sarutobi just chuckled again. Yes, Naruto was indeed still very much, _Naruto_.

----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

A/N: DUN DUN DUN…pseudo-cliffy. Aren't I devilish?

I don't like the way the bell test came out. I really don't. I might edit it at some point later on, but it's really the best I could do. Sorry.

Again, expect chapter 5 in a week or two…I guarantee nothing! Also, if anyone knows why Microsoft word is an asshole, let me know. Really. I hate this program.

Still haven't figured out the exact makeup of the harem yet…but I'm thinking Naruto + 4. Not one hundred percent sure. We'll see if I can actually pull it off.

'Till next time.

Oh. And...heh...I made his elements 'Earth, Wind and Fire'. Trust me...it's only a _passing_ joke to the band. I thought of that after the fact. Bwehehehehe.


	5. Blurred Allies and Concealed Enemies

Just a few things. I'd appreciate it if you all read this particular A/N.

I got some PM's and a particular review saying that Kage Bunshin would never help Naruto master his chakra control in the manner in which he did.

Let me cover that first. Kage Bunshin trains jutsu, and therefore trains chakra. If Naruto is able to create Rasengan with his Kage Bunshin in the manga, then by god, he can learn tree walking in the same manner. Tree walking is simply getting your mind used to the idea of using chakra to stick to a tree. If you've been doing it for a month, regardless of your progress up a tree, then you're going to have a good grasp of it. That's just that.

Someone was also concerned that I was going to quit this fic for some reason. I'll reiterate…I am **_not_** going to abandon this fic. Period.

As always, reviews are my lifeblood, and you don't need my permission to stick this thing into a C2. Just add it if you want to, I'm certainly not going to complain.

Also…Microsoft Word problem fixed. It's still an asshole, and I still hate it…but at least it works now.

I don't own Naruto. I never will. Kishimoto owns Naruto. Lucky bastard.

-------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------

Anonymity kicked ass.

He had been walking through the streets of Konoha for the better part of five minutes, and not once had he received even the slightest of negative glares…the closest thing he'd received in that regard was curiosity about the fox wrapped around his neck…but he imagined that most people simply dismissed it. With his face being covered, and his trademark orange color missing, he was simply another Nin in a massive village…he was even getting _respect_ from some people. He scowled. If any of them knew who he was, the stares would undoubtedly become immediately cold. The _respect_ he was getting was directed towards his status as a ninja…not towards him as a person. At that moment, his decision to become feared rather than loved sounded all the more enticing.

After they had exited the Hokage tower, Kyuubi and Naruto had agreed that it was just about time for him to visit a clothing store to get him a new wardrobe. All of his other clothing was now too small, or too hideously orange for him to wear. Besides the fact that bright red isn't quite the best color to wear as a ninja.

Naruto wasn't vain by any stretch of the imagination, though…after all, he had worn a hideous orange jumpsuit for the better part of four years. As such, he was going to go for a much more utilitarian look as opposed to something flashy or 'in style'. He had an idea of what exactly he wanted to wear, but it all depended on if they had it in stock.

He managed to find a 'Shinobi Only' clothing store in the more ninja-oriented part of the village, and with a slight jingle of the door, he made his entrance.

The store was nothing flashy. There were no 'sale' signs, or advertising gimmicks…just rows of shelves and racks that had mostly darker colored clothing. The lighting was rather dim, but the dressing rooms had bright fluorescent lighting so that people could see just how they looked in their new attire. An old man, probably in his fifties or sixties manned the register…he looked gnarled and weathered…Naruto guessed that he was probably a retired Shinobi.

The old man gave him a passing stare, and just as easily went back to reading his suspiciously orange book. It seemed that he didn't much care if anyone came into his shop or not. Suppressing a shrug, he moved to a rack of pitch black clothing…the most utilitarian color there was…and began to find his attire.

After a few minutes, he had what he needed. He had picked up five jet black, sleeveless formfitting muscle shirts and five pair of pitch black cargo pants. He had also gotten a pair of armored black leather combat boots with that came up to his knees, and the boots also had slots where one could put a few hidden kunai if necessary. He also picked out a dark maroon utility belt that hung off his hip somewhat limply. A darker black backpack of sorts rounded out the ensemble. All in all, it was very much bare bones…nothing flashy, all utility.

After paying a rather apathetic man at the counter, he proceeded to put on his new attire while stashing the rest of it in the new backpack he had gotten. He had also decided to put his katana on his back, slightly tilted over his left shoulder so that he could draw it much more easily with his right hand, while not being overbalanced on his left side. He looked at himself in a passing mirror and decided that he looked remarkably…dark. With a chuckle, he decided that it was certainly a _good_ look for him.

His next stop was to be a Shinobi weapons and armor store. Remembering that the old man had said something about a weapons making family that he should be meeting at some point, he asked for, and got, directions to the store that Higurashi ran. It was in a somewhat more civilian part of the village, but it still exuded 'Shinobi' in its style and décor.

Pushing open the door, he was greeted with a sight that would make any Shinobi worth his salt drool. Weapons of all shapes, sizes and colors adorned the shelves of the store, and not only that, but they looked to be crafted _tremendously_ well. Even at a passing glance, an untrained eye could see that they were made with the greatest of care and precision…he traced his finger down the blade of a particularly menacing looking axe and it drew blood without even the slightest of effort. He grinned…obviously their craftsmanship hadn't waned at all since the time that they had made his father's blades.

"Hello, is there anything I can help you find Shinobi-san?" Naruto turned around to face the girl that was currently staring at him and realized that she was familiar…at least somewhat. She was of a medium build and she wore a pink Chinese style shirt with darker colored pants. Her hair was done up in two buns on top of her head, and her eyes were sharp and unwavering…she was obviously a Shinobi. Naruto tried in vain to remember her name, trying but failing to place a name with the girl in front of him.

"Actually…yes. I'm looking for a set of Shinobi-type armor. If you could help me pick out a set, I'd be grateful. Also…you look really familiar…but I can't place your name…" He was only slightly embarrassed that he couldn't remember.

She seemed to appraise him for a moment before grinning slightly. "My name is Higurashi Tenten…nice to meet you and your friend." She pointed towards the fox snuggled around his neck, and grinned again. "May I ask your name?"

Naruto grinned behind his mask, although you couldn't see it. "Naruto. Just Naruto. My pet fox's name is Vix." Kyuubi mentally growled at him for referring to her as his _pet_, but she quickly went back to simply observing. "Nice to meet you as well." He gave her a slight bow before returning to his lazy posture. "I remember you now. You were in the class a year ahead of me…the weapon's expert, right?" He had met her only in passing a few times…but her reputation in the academy as a weapons master was known to many.

She grinned and looked somewhat flustered. "Hai, give me a weapon, and I know how to use it!" She seemed to get a thoughtful look on her face before she tapped her chin in a thinking pose. "Naruto, eh…I remember you, but I don't remember your appearance…weren't you the loud, obnoxious boy who always wore orange?" Naruto almost grinned. She certainly didn't sugar coat her words. He liked that.

"Yeah, that's me. I got over my orange obsession only recently…had an experience that made me tone down my personality as well. Come to think of it, I should really burn that orange jumpsuit…" He began to wonder if perhaps the target of his first Katon jutsu should be his jumpsuit.

Tenten just laughed as they both settled into a slightly pregnant pause. Naruto was the one to break it.

"I _am_ here on business though, unfortunately…I'm looking for a set of forearm-to-hand bracers, upper arm armor, a chest piece of some kind, thigh armor, and if possible, I'd like them in a darker color." He had thought rather extensively about what exactly he wanted to wear…armor was a given, considering that it may very well save his life some day.

Tenten looked as though she was thinking for a moment, before she motioned for him to follow her. They went to another part of the shop where the armor was kept, and she looked him over slightly, as if gauging his size. It almost made Naruto blush.

After giving a slight 'hmm' sound, she gathered different pieces of armor, as well as a chest piece and set them down on a nearby stool. They looked almost exactly like what he wanted…save that they were in a dark maroon color, as opposed to black. He mentally shrugged…dark maroon or black, he would still be hard to spot.

"These look to be just about your size. If you'd try them on real quick, we can see if we need to go up a size or down a size." Naruto nodded and began to strap his armor on.

It fit perfectly. The armor itself was made out of a lightweight but strong metal, and it was thin enough so not to burden the limbs. The back and front of his chest and thighs were armored perfectly, and the bracers extended over the back of his hand and up to his fingers so as to give his hands some protection. They attached to a small pair of fingerless leather gloves that kept the piece of armor securely fastened to his hand and arm. Overall, it added some weight to his limbs, but it certainly didn't impede his movement.

"This is perfect! Thanks!" He bowed to Tenten again, not noticing the only _slight_ blush that came to her face because of it. "How much do I owe you?"

Tenten just waved him off. "My dad takes care of the cash register most of the time…just show him what you are buying, and he'll give you the price." Naruto nodded and began walking towards the desk at the front of the store. The man behind it was reading a magazine about weapons or some such thing, and looked up at him for only a moment before he dropped his magazine and stared at him in shock.

Naruto was confused for a moment before he remembered that this person was supposedly a friend of his fathers. Undoubtedly, the mask or the sword would have tipped him off somehow. After a few moments, it became obvious that it was the sword.

"You…where did you get that sword!" His voice was angry, and it looked as though he was almost ready to draw a kunai. Naruto backed up a step before calming himself.

"It's an heirloom…my father owned it." He was too busy trying to think up a plausible explanation to use in front of Tenten to add anything else.

The old man looked surprised, shocked, and for a moment, hopeful, before he became angry again. "That's _not_ funny, boy! The owner of that sword died almost thirteen years ago! Tell me where you got it, and I _might_ just spare your life!" By this point, he _had_ drawn a kunai, and was slowly advancing on Naruto with a feral posture.

Tenten was confused. The sword was obviously made by them…but they made swords like that all the time. She would readily admit that the sword on Naruto's back looked to be one of their finest pieces, but the overall design didn't convey any originality to the sword that she could identify. Seeing her father react this way to it was disconcerting, and just a little frightening. "Father, wait! What's going on here? We make swords like this all the time, right?" She had to keep herself from drawing her own kunai…the Ki in the air was almost suffocating.

Tenten's father simply glanced at his daughter before returning his gaze to Naruto. "Tenten, that sword was made by me twelve years ago as a present to one of my dearest friends. I'd recognize it anywhere. This boy stole that sword, I _know_ it. My friend's son died in the Kyuubi attack…this person cannot possibly be his son." By this time, he had come to within only a few feet of Naruto, and Naruto could only barely contain his desire to bolt out the door.

He decided to simply come out with it. His desire to live outweighed his desire not to have Tenten know anything of his heritage. "What you were told was not true, Higurashi-san. The village was _told_ that I died, to protect me. In reality, I _am_ his son, and I am also…the container." This was his last chance. If he didn't believe him, then he could kiss his ass goodbye. He had still tried to be as vague as possible, though.

The man gained an astonished look on his face, and after a few moments, his visage took on one of determination. "Boy…take off your mask. If what you say is true…" Naruto let out a slight sigh. At least he was able to be reasonable.

He slowly undid the straps on his mask, and when it fell away, the man dropped his kunai and a gasp escaped his lips. He was obviously staring at his eyes and whiskers…one proof of him being the container, the other proof of his heritage…at least to those who knew who his mother had been, or rather, had an inkling.

"By Kami…it's true…you're…" The man in front of him seemed to get almost misty eyed for a moment, before composing himself. "I'm sorry for calling you a thief…I just thought…that sword…your father was a friend of mine, you know?" He looked solemn still, and Naruto didn't blame him.

"I know. Sandaime told me that you were a friend of his…although, I only recently found out myself. In fact, he was the one who told me that you were one of the few people that I could tell…" He made a subtle gesture to his right where Tenten was staring at them both incredulously. He didn't really want to discuss this in front of anyone other than his father's friend.

The man seemed to get the idea. "Tenten, go to the back of the shop and clean out the forge." His tone broached no argument, but Tenten seemed to pay it no mind.

"Wait, I cleaned out the forge this morning! What's going on here? Why did you pull a Kunai on him? Who is his father? Why is he-" Tenten's father gave her a serious glare and pointed to the back. "Go clean out the forge. I wasn't giving you an option."

She faltered for a second before sending a glance to Naruto, as if asking for his help. He gave her an almost apologetic smile, as if conveying that he simply didn't wish to speak of anything in her presence. She gave him an almost pouting glare before she stomped her way off into the back of the shop, grumbling all the way.

Naruto sighed. He didn't really want to make Tenten angry, or give her extra workload…but he really couldn't speak of this in front of her. Maybe sometime later, if she became a good friend…but not now.

Her father was still gazing at him with an almost glazed look…as if he was reminiscing. After a short while, he broke himself out of his self-imposed stupor and motioned Naruto to come behind the desk. He did as instructed and the man motioned for Naruto to sit in a seat directly adjacent to the man's own. After a few more moments, the man got out a sake bottle and popped off the cork, pouring out two saucers. To Naruto's dismay and apprehension, the second saucer was pushed over to him.

Before he could broach an argument, the man waved him off. "You're old enough to fight, kill and die for your village…you're old enough to drink. Trust me…life's too short…enjoy life's little pleasures while you can." The man's tone seemed solemn, and Naruto found himself agreeing with his assessment. It didn't make much sense not to trust those who could fight and die on a whim for their village not to drink…or smoke or…_anything_ socially restrictive for that matter. He filed it away in his mind to contemplate at a later date.

With a slightly shaky hand, he brought the saucer to his lips, and with a swift motion, downed the liquid. The first sensation was burning…his throat felt like it was on fire, and the taste in his mouth was bitter, but satisfying. The burning sensation slowly ebbed, and the aftertaste became almost sweet. The man next to him just smiled and did the same, before pouring each of them another saucer full. This time, Naruto slowly sipped the concoction, and the man just stared at the countertop for a moment before chuckling and staring once again at Naruto.

He noticed that while he was getting his first taste of the alcoholic drink, the man was shooting curious glances at the fox around his neck…but as everyone else did, he seemed to pay it no mind. Naruto nearly smiled…it was going to be easier to keep her concealed than he had hoped.

"I completely forgot to tell you my name, didn't I?" He seemed almost sheepish for a moment. "My name is Higurashi Kouseki…but my friends usually just call me Ko. Nice to meet you…" He trailed off, as if debating what to call him.

Naruto chuckled for a moment. "Just call me Naruto. I haven't started going by my dad's last name…yet. I need to get stronger so I can defend myself from my father's enemies first." Kouseki simply nodded before taking another sip of his sake.

"Your father and I were friends for most of our lives…we both went to the academy together…same class. He was unsurprisingly the top rookie of the year, while I was only somewhere in the top half." He stopped here for a moment and got a sad smile on his face. "Even though we ended up on different teams, we still kept in touch…in the Chuunin exams, I even fought him in the preliminaries. He kicked my ass though." He chuckled here and Naruto couldn't help but smile.

Kouseki's face got serious rather quickly though. "We were both promoted to Chuunin…and then Jounin about five years later. It was some time after we were promoted to Jounin that the third 'great' Shinobi war broke out. "Trust me…there was nothing _great_ about it." He took another long gulp of sake and refilled his saucer. Naruto took the opportunity to down his own saucer and Ko refilled it without question.

"During that time, I met and married my wife, Eika. She was a simple miner's daughter at the time…her father worked for mine as the foreman for the mine that supplied our weapon shop back then with all the minerals we needed. It wasn't more than a few months after we met each other that we married…she's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. These days, she works at the mine not too far from here…she took over her father's operation, and I took over mine." He took another sip.

"Anyway…during the war, I was injured pretty badly, got my leg all but shattered by an enemy nin. I was forced to retire after that…although, I'm still on the reserve roster just like every other able bodied ex-nin. After I retired, I settled down with Eika and we went without having kids for a while…your father became Hokage during that time, and I made that sword, along with a larger version for him as a present. After a while, we decided to have a kid…Tenten…and about a year after that…the Kyuubi came." His visage was now one of anger. The saucer in his hand was trembling slightly, and his eyes were almost watering.

"When I heard that Minato had indeed produced a child, I was overjoyed…hell, I prepared for a good day and a half to adopt you…but then of course, Sandaime told us all that you had died. I can count on one hand the number of times I've cried kid…and I'm not too proud to say that that was one of those times." The water in his eyes had receded by now, and the shaking stopped. He simply looked resigned.

"When I first saw you, I had an inkling that perhaps we had all been lied to, again…but since I was pretty sure I knew who your mother was, and you had blue eyes, I wrote it off as a strange resemblance." He seemed to pause here, and his face gained a rather pensive glint to it.

He turned to Naruto and studied him for a moment with a piercing gaze. "Speaking of that, kid…how exactly did you change so much? I remember you having less defined whisker marks, and blue eyes…and here you are with your _black_ eyes…and near clefts on your cheeks. What, was there some kind of twelve year Henge used on you or something?" He chuckled for a moment before he took another sip.

Naruto just suppressed a wry grin. "Well…kind of." Kouseki nearly spit out his sake and his eyes got wide. "It's kind of…complicated. Have you ever heard of an impression seal?"

With that, he launched into an abbreviated description of just what exactly had been done to him…he was careful to leave out any references to Kyuubi, and instead made up a story that he had read about it on a scroll. He couldn't have _everyone_ knowing about Kyuubi, especially not those with a vested interest in harming her.

He also told him about inheriting his father's house and finding the swords. Ko's eyes widened considerably when he told him that he now owned the Namikaze estates…that particular plot of land was one of the most valuable in the entire village.

After he was done, the Saki bottle was completely gone…most of it had been imbibed by Kouseki, but Naruto had had his fair share as well…and being that he was twelve, even a relatively small amount was enough to make him moderately tipsy. Ko just stared at the floor for a minute before he _laughed_…rather hard at that. He laughed for a good few minutes, with Naruto joining him for a while. It felt good.

After Kouseki had calmed down, he fixed Naruto with a stare that just showed resigned amusement. "That's one hell of a tale Naruto. To think that Minato would go that far just to protect your identity…sounds like him though…" Kouseki chugged the last of the sake and Naruto shot what was left in his saucer before Ko just shook his head and motioned for Naruto to stand up.

"Well, this old man has taken enough of your time, Naruto. It's good to know that part of Minato lives on…even though I respected you before kid…you're my friend's son. If you ever need anything, just let me know, you hear?" Naruto just nodded and tried to keep himself from scowling. As soon as people knew who his father was, they immediately gave him special privileges…he resigned himself to simply dealing with it. He had been a simple demon container before to him, and now, he was his friend's son. Naruto contemplated that he would probably have done the same thing in his position, so he didn't really hold it against him.

"How much do I owe you for this armor?" He reached behind him to access his frog shaped 'wallet' before Kouseki's hand clamped down on his own.

"Consider it a gift, eh? Just make your father proud with it…and that's all the payment I need." Naruto beamed at the man and nodded. He certainly wasn't going to complain about getting stuff for free. Not to mention that he was a bit _happy_ at the moment.

"Arigato, Kouseki-san! I'll see you around! Oh, and tell Tenten sorry for me, would you?" Ko just chuckled and nodded his head. With that, Naruto made his way out of the shop.

---------------------------------------------------------

Kouseki made his way to the back of the shop, to see a rather pissed off Tenten cleaning out the forge with vigor. He just chuckled. He figured that it was good training, although he was sure she wouldn't agree.

"That Naruto kid says he's sorry! He and I had to talk about a few things." Tenten just gave him a patented Higurashi glare. Kouseki just chuckled…again.

Tenten gave him another pointed glare. "You're drunk." It wasn't a question

Kouseki giggled behind his hand. "Yeah! What're you going to do about it?" Tenten pouted for a second before she smirked.

Kouseki got a bad feeling that was validated only a moment afterwards. "I'm going to tell mom." He paled.

"You…you wouldn't!" The last time she found out that he had been drinking on the job…it hadn't been pretty.

Tenten just smirked. "Oh, wouldn't I?" She strode up to her father and got a pensive look on her face. "Let's see…I won't tell mom…if you tell me what you were talking with that boy about!" She had been rather curious about the boy ever since she first laid eyes on him, and that had only increased by a hundred fold over the past half an hour or so.

Ko just chuckled…again. "Afraid I can't do that sweetheart." She looked peeved. "I'll tell you what I can do though…I'll tell you where he lives. You can go see if you can prod that information out of him on your own." She considered this for a moment before nodding her head. It would probably pay to be friends with the boy at some point anyway.

Her father just patted her on the shoulder. He described the directions to his house and Tenten's eyes widened. To think that _Naruto_ lived in the wealthiest part of the village, and next to the Hyuuga compound no less, was incredible. Just who was Naruto?

Ko just smiled wryly at his daughter. "You can go visit him later; you still have a forge to clean out."

Tenten just nearly missed her father's head with her fist. Before he scurried back to the front of the store to attend a customer. Tenten just grumbled and got back to her task, her mind now focused on finding out who Naruto was.

-----------------------------------------------------

Naruto decided that he liked Sake. He _really_ liked Sake. It made you feel good, it took away all the cares in the world, and most importantly, it made holding up a happy façade so much easier. He gave himself a mental note to raid the liquor cabinet in his home when he got home.

Kyuubi on the other hand was peeved. As far as she was concerned, Sake was a crutch…it dulled the senses and it simply distracted you from your worries…when you came down from the influence of the stuff, your problems were still there. She didn't have any problem with the boy occasionally imbibing the stuff…but she would certainly intervene if he got dependent on it. After all, her chakra could easily purge the stuff from his system.

As if sensing Kyuubi's worry, he just patted her on the head and smiled. _'Kyuubi, if anyone deserves this stuff, I do.'_

Kyuubi just scoffed. **_'It's not a question of deserving it or not…the fact of the matter is that it dulls your senses and your movements. There are very few ninja who can get away with actually drinking…most of them are drunken fist masters.'_** It was Naruto's turn to scoff.

'_I never said I'd be drinking the stuff before a mission or training. I'm not _that_ stupid.'_ Kyuubi just gave him a growl, as if to say, 'are you sure about that'? Naruto just gave her a playful scowl and let it drop.

Naruto was now headed towards the hospital. He wanted to learn how to make medical chakra as soon as possible, seeing as how he would need practice on how exactly to mend people's wounds before he could actually _use_ it effectively. And before he could do _that_, he'd need an even greater extensive knowledge of human anatomy and biology…he almost sighed. There were steps to everything, he supposed.

He walked into the hospital and made his way to the receptionist, noting that there were very few people in the waiting room…most of them were ninja, and it didn't really surprise him. It was in a Ninja's job description to get hurt, and rather often at that. It simply came with the territory.

"Excuse me…I'm looking for a Yakushi Kabuto, I'm here for training." The receptionist looked up and gave him a kind smile…unseen to her, Naruto scowled. The hospital staff had never been kind to him before, even going so far as to refuse him treatment at times when he actually needed it. With his new choice of clothing, and his mask, however, he was simply another anonymous ninja. He supposed he should use it to his advantage.

"Training, eh? That's good. We can always use more medic-nin. Kabuto should be on the second floor in the pediatric wing…here, I'll give you the room number." She scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to Naruto, all the while giving him the same 'warm' grin that she had before. It took everything Naruto had not to scowl. He guessed that the effects of the Sake were wearing off.

With a curt bow he turned away and went up the stairs, noting the room number scrawled on the piece of paper in his hand. He made his way down the hallways, observing the various patients in the various rooms, and the various doctors, nurses and med-nin that attended to them. Some kids were hooked up to extensive life support systems, while others were simply receiving vaccinations or getting treated for the common cold. It struck Naruto as almost humorous that he had never once contracted the cold, flu, or any other malady for that matter. It was one of the perks of having super-potent chakra in one's system, he supposed.

After a minute or so more of walking, he came upon the specified room and gave a short rapping on the door. He heard some shuffling and a bump, and then the door came open, revealing a man wearing all black and a pair of sunglasses, as well as a black veil over his mouth.

"What do you want, brat?" Naruto frowned. If Kabuto was going to be this way, then he would have to reconsider if he wanted him to train him or not.

He was about to give a scathing retort, but the man in black suddenly straightened slightly and moved away from the threshold, revealing a different man in his stead. He had silvery-white hair and a pair of wireframe glasses over a rather common looking face. His attire was rather standard…purple over clothes mixed with a small amount of under-armor. He wasn't tremendously tall, nor was he short…in essence, he was simply someone you would just pass over most of the time if you were to look at him in a crowd. He was very unassuming.

He looked at Naruto for a moment before he got a rather warm smile on his face. "Oh, Naruto-kun, you're here already. The Hokage told me you'd be coming. Do you have the slip of paper he gave you?" Naruto realized with a start that _this_ was Kabuto…not the other man. He reached into his pocket and produced the piece of paper that the Hokage had given him, and handed it to Kabuto. He skimmed it over for a moment before nodding and pocketing it.

"Very well, I'll train you in how to produce medical chakra, but you won't be able to use it effectively without knowledge of human anatomy and biology…I could train you in that too, if you want." Naruto just smiled behind his mask. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad.

"Thanks, but I already have someone teaching me about such things. All I need to know is how to produce medical chakra…the rest is already taken care of." He didn't mention his seal, but he hoped that the older Genin in front of him got the hint not to press the issue.

He just smiled at Naruto. "Of course. It will be my pleasure to teach you. Please, come in." With that Kabuto stepped away from the door and allowed Naruto entry into a very bare room…it had a desk with some papers on it, and a few chairs, but the rest of it was blank. Kabuto was even more 'minimalist' than his father.

What he noticed right away, however, was that there were two other people in the room. The first he had already seen…the man with the black veil at the front door. The second was an almost carbon copy of the first, the only difference being that he didn't wear sunglasses. They both gave off a slightly malicious aura that Naruto had a hard time shaking off.

Kabuto simply chuckled, seemingly amused at Naruto's reaction to his other visitors. "Naruto-kun, I'd like you to meet my teammates. The one with the sunglasses is Akado Yoroi; the one with the regular glasses is Tsurugi Misumi. They've been with me ever since the Genin exam." Naruto gave them a once over, before curtly bowing slightly and taking up a position close to the window. They still creeped him out, and if shit somehow hit the fan, he wanted an escape route.

Kabuto simply chuckled again. "They may give off a menacing aura Naruto-kun, but I assure you, they're great people once you get to know them." Naruto simply nodded slightly, not believing Kabuto in the slightest.

Kabuto just smirked. The one known as Misumi stood and gestured to Yoroi, both of them giving Kabuto a nod before walking out of the office and shutting the door. The menacing aura left with them, and Naruto let out a breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding.

"Very well Naruto-kun…this shouldn't take very long to learn, seeing as how the Hokage informed me that you're somehow able to bypass the normal chakra control requirements for producing medical chakra. I'm curious about that…is it a Kekkai Genkai, or simply a new technique?" Kabuto had by now sat down at his desk, and was staring at Naruto with a warm smile and unassuming posture. Naruto figured that he could at least tell him a partial truth.

"It has to do with a particular seal placed on me at birth…I really can't say any more than that." He hoped fervently that Kabuto didn't push for more information. Kabuto may seem to be a good person, but Naruto couldn't divulge this information to just anyone.

Kabuto simply grinned. "Ah, I assume it has to do with the Kyuubi seal?" Naruto's eyes went wide behind his mask. Kabuto…he wasn't supposed to know that. As if sensing his distress, Kabuto just waved him off dismissively.

"Maa, it's ok. I know about the Kyuubi, and I don't hold it against you. You're just the prison, not the prisoner. As far as I'm concerned, you're doing us all a favor." Naruto calmed down considerably at this and gave Kabuto a warm smile, even though he couldn't see it. His respect for the man jumped considerably.

Kabuto got up and went to an adjacent file cabinet. "I don't have the clearance to know everything about you or your seal however. You don't have to say anymore, I understand. I'm still tremendously curious about this seal however." He gave Naruto a disarming grin and Naruto seriously considered telling him about it before realizing that he was under orders not to. He'd have to speak to the Hokage about it and see if Kabuto could be made an exception.

"I appreciate it, I really do. It's not often that I find someone who's willing to see me for Naruto as opposed to the Kyuubi." Kabuto just waved him off.

"Eh…think of it this way. If there was a prisoner in a prison, would you hate the prisoner or the prison walls? If you hate the walls and try to destroy them, then you risk letting the prisoner out. Hatred of the prisoner on the other hand is fine because no matter what you do, the prison walls still stand." Naruto nearly gaped at that. It was a perfect analogy…and one he had never quite thought of. It described his situation to a T, save for the fact that he didn't hate the prisoner.

Kabuto found whatever he was looking for in the cabinet, and tossed Naruto a scroll which he deftly caught. "That scroll should teach you anything and everything you need to know about the creation and overall manipulation of medical chakra. I'd stick around to teach you myself, but I _do_ have patients to attend to. Study that scroll for the next few days, or just until you have it down, and then come see me again. You'll have to get some real world experience in healing before you can truly call yourself proficient in it…not to mention that you have to have a med Nin see your progress and judge you adequate before you can get your medical ninja license." Naruto almost frowned knowing that he wouldn't be directly taught, but he brightened considerably when he realized that he could simply create a few hundred Kage Bunshin to work on it for a day or so.

He stood and bowed deeply to the Genin in front of him, earning an embarrassed dismissal. "Don't be so formal, Naruto-kun! We're both Genin here, and we'll both be medical Nin soon enough." Naruto just nodded.

"Thank you, Kabuto-sensei! I'll be back in a day or two to have you observe my progress. Ja ne!" With that, Naruto took off out the door, wanting to make it home as quickly as possible to start his training.

The minute that Naruto was out of sight, Kabuto's expression became deadpan. He made his way out the door to report this interesting situation to his superiors. They would undoubtedly be rather…curious.

As Naruto ran hurriedly down the hospital corridors, Kyuubi was busy thinking of a reason why Kabuto would smell like snakes, and why he had never once even glanced in her direction.

----------------------------------------------------

The trip home was rather uneventful. Without various villagers staring at him with barely concealed contempt, it was almost boring. Not that he minded…he'd much rather have it boring than eventful, if it meant that he could avoid such things.

With a click, he unlocked his front door and then re-locked it behind him. By now, it was almost three o'clock…he still had at least _some_ time to train. He made his way to the back yard and began doing a few stretching exercises before Kyuubi woke up.

The fox kit around Naruto's neck jumped off of him and landed on the ground deftly. In a puff of smoke, she transformed back into her human state, exactly as he remembered her. She too began stretching, and with a yawn, she turned around to face an attentive Naruto.

She seemed pensive for a moment before she came to some sort of decision on something. "Well, I assume you want to train. This will be the first time that we've actually trained together for real…other than the time at Kakashi's test, but that doesn't count." She seemed to get an almost mischievous look on her face.

"While you were asleep last night, I came up with a training regimen. I anticipated that you'd pass your test, and made up a way in which to teach you the beginnings of the jutsu I told you about, as well as work much more extensively on chakra control. As soon as your chakra control and physical attributes are good enough, I can start teaching you the basis of the Ryuudou." Naruto perked considerably at that, and Kyuubi smirked. She had given him a good motivation.

With that, Kyuubi laid out her plans for Naruto's initial training. All of the Bunshin save for about twenty percent were going to work specifically on chakra control. She explained the concept of water walking and a new concept that Naruto hadn't heard of before. It involved levitating objects around your body and being able to use the concepts of the tree walking exercise on every part of your body…basically, learning how to focus and manipulate chakra to such a degree that you can unconsciously mold it to produce chakra 'fields' that respond to your every whim. You could create a field to attract things to you, or a field to repel them, such as in water walking. Or you could just create a field that simply _held_ items. It took quite a bit of control to actually manipulate it, but she insisted that once he got the concept down, it would fall into place. She also said that it was very important for 'The Flow'.

The rest of the clones would be learning the new jutsu that she promised to train him in…she told him its name was the **Rasengan**. It involved violently spinning and rotating ones chakra while forming it into a tremendously compressed ball. From what little she could tell, the end result was a jutsu that would produce massive amounts of force on any object it was used against…essentially, it was a small maelstrom of chakra that obliterated any matter in its path. The concept was rather rudimentary, but the usage was not. She explained that it had 'stages'…spin, power, and control, in that order. Normally, the training would be done with water balloons and rubber balls…which Naruto laughed at…but Kyuubi had a better way.

She simply reversed the steps and added a new one. Naruto would learn how to compress a shell of chakra as much as possible into a spherical shape. This would hone his control. When his shell was sufficiently strong, he would fill it with water from a small fishing lake on the property, and compress the shell even further until he was able to hold the water perfectly still within it. This would improve his shell more extensively, as well as giving him the water he needed for the next step. Once he could compress the ball to a decent size, and put enough water into it to satisfy Kyuubi, he would move on to the next step. He would start slowly spinning the water within the shell, focusing on getting the spin and the control as mastered as possible. Then, as the last stage, he would spin the water as violently as he could until he broke his own shell…and then he would forego the water completely, spinning only the chakra without the extra mass of the water to impede the shell…thus forming the completed **Rasengan**. She explained that doing the training in this way ensured that the **Rasengan** would be tremendously powerful, controlled, and most of all, efficient. Not only that, but they wouldn't waste a truckload of rubber balls and water balloons. Naruto readily agreed.

Throughout all of this, the original Naruto would be working on body training. Contrary to what she had thought before, she had noticed that released Kage Bunshin did _not_ in fact help the body in the slightest. Muscle mass as well as conditioning was non transferable…the only thing that could be readily transferred through the Kage Bunshin was either knowledge of jutsu, or chakra control exercises, both of which focused more on the mind…after all, chakra control was basically just getting one's mind used to the process of moving chakra around more efficiently. The original Naruto would have to be the one to actually train his strength, speed, endurance and overall physical attributes.

During all of this, one Kage Bunshin would be assigned to read the book on seals that Kyuubi had found in the basement, and another clone would read over the medical scroll that Kabuto had given them. She concluded that Naruto needed a grasp of what the scroll actually said before he could put it to a practical use, and Naruto grudgingly agreed.

_All_ of the clones would be subconsciously attempting to keep a small flow of chakra going to their eyes, ears and nose at all times…Kyuubi hoped that it would help him keep his senses sharp at all times without having to consciously focus on enhancing them. If anything, it was another subtle form of chakra control training, and it had obvious benefits.

Kyuubi leaned up against a rock outcropping, settling into what she thought was a good 'sensei' demeanor. "Right then. I want you to tap into my chakra and create as many Kage Bunshin as you can. There _will_ be a limit, just because you can only channel so much of my chakra at a time…but it will still be a large amount." Naruto nodded as he stepped out into a particularly large clearing and subconsciously tapped into his 'secondary' chakra.

The feeling was overwhelming. This was the first time he had ever consciously tapped her chakra, and it felt…just…_powerful_. There was no good word to describe it. His body took on a slight red aura, and his features began to change, but only slightly. He could feel her chakra welling up in him, and he began channeling it for the jutsu.

He made the trademark cross shaped seal for Kage Bunshin, and with a cry that rang throughout the area, he shouted, **"TAJUU: KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"**

A cloud of smoke enveloped the area, shrouding everything in a hazy mist. Naruto could feel that he no longer had 'that' chakra in his system anymore, and his tap on it had been closed. With a slight pant he settled into a more casual stance and waited for the smoke to clear.

He wasn't disappointed. The smoke cleared after a few more moments, and both Kyuubi and Naruto gasped slightly.

The clearing was literally _stuffed_ with Kage Bunshin. His entire father's…no…_his_ acreage was filled to the brim with Kage Bunshin. Naruto just gaped. They must number in the thousands…

Kyuubi was equally impressed. She knew that he would create a very large amount, but she had no idea that he would create _this_ many. What astounded her even more, was that these Kage Bunshin were created with only the smallest fraction of her chakra…if he were to access even more…she nearly laughed at the absurdity of Naruto being able to create an _army_ with naught but a hand seal.

Naruto just turned to Kyuubi expectantly. Kyuubi saw this and turned back towards Naruto, an awed grin on her face. "Impressive. With this many…well, we'll be able to get quite a bit accomplished. Now, I suggest you get to it!" With a mental command, Naruto gave everyone their instructions. Most of the Kage Bunshin leapt to the fishing lake to practice either water walking, or the Rasengan, while another good portion of the majority worked on creating the 'chakra field' that Kyuubi had explained. Two Kage Bunshin made their way back inside the house to read a book and a scroll, and Naruto himself found that Kyuubi was motioning him over to a rock outcropping.

"Your job is simple." She motioned to a rather large rock that looked as though it weighed about two hundred pounds. "You are to strap this boulder to your waist, and climb this rock outcropping. This will condition your body overall, and you won't be forced to wear weights during your normal day to day missions. While the stress on your body _would_ build up your strength and endurance, it would be at the cost of snapped ligaments, muscle tears and a host of other injuries. I could repair them, but it would be in your much better interests simply not to get them. If you are to injure yourself at all in your pursuit of body training, it will be here, where we can control it." Naruto gave her an almost skeptical look. Everyone knew that muscles atrophied when not in constant use, and that's precisely what weights were designed to do…give muscles _constant_ use. Naruto stunned himself for a moment…and then smiled. He had actually remembered something from his anatomy lessons.

Kyuubi just regaled him with a haughty stare. "You doubt my abilities? Remember, you're special, you have _me_. Once a muscle has reached a certain point, its rate of atrophy in _you_ will be drastically decreased. That is to say, once you have built up your muscle, it will stay that way. This is due to the fact that your own body is simply a well tuned machine, thanks to yours truly. I'll spare you the boring details until another anatomy lesson, but suffice to say that your own rate of atrophy will be next to nil." Naruto just gaped openly at Kyuubi before grinning widely. Sometimes, it was good to have an unnatural healing factor…he took that back, it was _always_ good to have a freakish healing factor.

Kyuubi just grinned right back. "Now…get some rope from inside, tie that rock to your waist, and get climbing. I'm going to go over to the group of Kage Bunshin that are creating the chakra field and explain to them how it's done, and then I'm going to supervise the Rasengan and water walking training. Just keep climbing that boulder and then climbing down until sundown…about four hours from now." She gave Naruto an almost sadistic grin before she walked off to another group of Naruto's all the while whistling a tune. Naruto just sweat-dropped and suppressed a gulp.

This was going to be…interesting.

---------------------------------------------------------

She wasn't sure which was worse…cleaning out the family forge, or training…with _them_.

Of course, the 'them' she was referring to was her teammates.

She was currently sitting on a stump getting her breath as her more _energetic_ teammates continued their own exhausting training regimen with unabashed enthusiasm, shouting things about 'youth' and other such drabbles that thankfully, she had learned to tune out some time ago. It wasn't that she didn't like them, far from it…they were some of the nicest and most dependable people in Konoha…but they were just a bit too…_unique_ for her tastes.

This didn't include their one remaining teammate, however.

Hyuuga Neji…an enigma, wrapped in a paradox, punctuated by a riddle…and one of the biggest assholes you could ever meet. He was condescending, rude, obnoxious in his own way, and most of all, he treated absolutely _no one_ save for the possible exception of Gai-sensei and the Hokage with respect. He was the picture of the normal Hyuuga…arrogant and haughty…but he also had his own personal demons. She hadn't heard him speak of them often…he didn't speak often _anyway_…but apparently it had something to do with his father and 'fate'…she didn't much press the subject.

Tenten at one time had said that she had a crush on him…not to his face, of course…but that crush had long ago disintegrated and been swept away. It wasn't that she didn't like him anymore…simply it was more that she was a _Kunoichi_…she couldn't allow herself to be some love sick girl who always had to let herself get saved by her love, or put herself in 'Damsel-in-Distress' situations so that she could somehow get her prince…she had found out after a particularly nasty mission that she couldn't afford to. Kunoichi were a different class…they _had_ to be able to protect themselves, or _bad things_ happened. Luckily, they hadn't happened to her…yet.

Hence, she had let her fan girlish love for Neji go, to be replaced by a fervent desire to grow stronger, to protect herself, to protect her teammates, and most of all, to prove to everyone that Kunoichi had just as much potential as male Shinobi to be strong. She almost smirked. All she had to do was point to her idol, Tsunade, to prove that. She was the beacon to which almost every Kunoichi in Konoha aspired to in at least a small way…she was a _Sennin_…she was as strong as a Hokage, and she was said to even be on almost equal ground with the Legendary Jiraiya, who was said to be easily the strongest of the three legends.

She was broken from her musings as a particularly loud crash emanated from a spot about one hundred meters from her…she glanced in the general direction it had come from to see that Gai had apparently shown Lee a new technique…no doubt some nigh unbeatable and unbearable feat of strength that only they could pull off. She would be the first to admit that Gai and Lee were strong…_tremendously_ so. They might be…strange…but they were good ninja. That much no one could deny.

Mostly, it was because they did _this_ every day. In the mornings, they'd do some mission…usually a dumb D rank mission, and then they'd train…and train…and train…and then train some more…and then Tenten would have to head to her family's weapon shop to work for a few hours, and then they'd train again later on in the day, before finally going home. Lee especially had gotten tremendously strong from their training, but that wasn't to say that Tenten or even Neji had been neglected. Tenten knew more about Taijutsu and explosives now than she ever had before, and Neji…well, he had been all but _forced_ to perfect his Jyuuken over the course of the past half year, being that every time Gai and Neji would spar, Gai would pick the Jyuuken apart as if it were nothing. Gai was _unbeatable_ in a pure Taijutsu match…and his knowledge of that particular style of fighting was elevated to nigh an _art form_. The man was strong…he was _unique_, but he was as _strong_ as any one Jounin could be.

Her thoughts were once again interrupted as Gai-sensei made his way over to the stump she was currently sitting on, and motioned for Neji to join them. Lee sat on the ground, pulling a notepad out of…somewhere…she didn't really _want_ to know where…and began to stare attentively at his idol, as if he was about to impart some morsel of ultimate wisdom that he couldn't lose for fear of his life. She supposed it was cute, in a retarded puppy kind of way, but it still made her shake her head sometimes.

"My youthful team! We are finished with practice for today, but do not allow your fires of youth to dim! In only a few months time, the next Chuunin exam will be upon Konoha, and I will be entering you, my youthful and exuberant comrades, into the competition! You will be able to test your mettle against other youthful ninja and prove your way of the ninja to the world! Yosh!" He punctuated his impromptu speech by raising his fist into the air and bringing it down to form his trademark 'nice-guy' pose, replete with sparkling teeth and a 'thumbs-up' sign. Luckily, Tenten was used to it.

His words had somewhat stunned her, however. They were going to be in the Chuunin exam? Not only that, but it was in a few _months_? They hadn't entered into the previous exams…Gai, in one of his rare 'serious' moments had dissuaded them from attending, due to the fact that he did not believe them strong enough, as well as the fact that it had been held in Iwa…officially, the Hidden Village of Stone was 'neutral' to Konoha…but because of the war that had been waged only about fifteen or so years prior, there were still _hard feelings_ between the two, to put it mildly. To put it bluntly, they didn't like each other. Stone had been searching for years for an excuse to attack Konoha again…and Konoha had gotten strong enough, fast enough that stone wouldn't stand a chance even if they did. This was just normal Shinobi politics.

At the news that they were going to be in the Chuunin exam, Neji had simply smirked idly and nodded, as if signifying that _he_ was ready, and his team had _better_ not hold him back. Lee had started shouting with Gai about the fires of youth, exuberance, and various forms of training that they would accomplish if they failed to do some mundane task. In short, Tenten's team was distracted. This was usually the point at which she left…it was Gai's form of dismissal. As soon as she left, Neji would usually leave, seeing no reason to stay, and after that, who knows what Gai and Lee did. She didn't intend to dwell on it.

She quietly took to the treetops and then the rooftops of Konoha, making it home in good time. After a quick shower and change of clothes, she didn't feel _as_ grimy as she had after practice, and she noticed that it was only about five o'clock. Her family didn't eat dinner as one most of the time…her father was too busy with the shop, her mother was too busy at the mines, and she was an only child. She usually just made herself something small, or rarely, she went out to eat somewhere with a friend. She said rarely, because her supply of friends was rather small.

She wasn't a fan girl, so she didn't fit in with the fan girl clique…she wasn't a Chuunin or Jounin, so she didn't fit in with anyone who was older than she was, and she trained harder than most Kunoichi did, alienating her from quite a bit of her own class in terms of friends. She had never really cared too much about her lack of friends or even quasi lack of family…but it still did bring her down sometimes to know that she didn't really have any friends outside of her team. It was a bit…depressing…to think about.

She perked up as she remembered something. Naruto. She knew where he lived, and she was still _very_ curious as to who he was, what his relation was to her father, and most of all, why he had changed so _fundamentally_. She hadn't known him very well at the academy…they were passing _acquaintances_ at best…at worst, they knew each other's name, and that was about it. She _did_ know his reputation, however. Almost everyone did. He was an orange wearing prankster that was loud, annoying, and obnoxious. He was also hated by a great portion of the village for reasons that most people in her age range simply didn't understand. Most people simply _went_ with it, however. If their parents hated the boy, then why not them?

Luckily or unluckily, her parents respected the boy. He had come into their weapons shop before, and unlike most of the other merchants in the town, he wasn't turned away. It had garnered her father some interesting looks from some of the villagers, but like everything he did, he simply brushed it off. He _had_ been a Jounin.

This orange clad annoying boy that everyone knew, however, had turned into something completely different. Even a few weeks ago, she had seen him running around pulling some prank on someone in his orange jumpsuit…and just a few days ago, he had painted the Hokage monument. Now, she had seen him in her shop wearing _black_…nearly the antithesis of Orange. Not only that, but the boy had one of the finest swords that had ever come from her parents shop, and what looked to be an ANBU issue mask. He had _changed_…and it wasn't that she actually cared, so much that she was _tremendously_ curious. It was a puzzle, and if Tenten was anything, she was a detective. She got to the bottom of things…for fun, most of the time. She _was_ the best on her team at information gathering and overall subterfuge.

She strapped her Kunai holster to her leg and made her way out the door. She would meet this new Naruto, and she would figure out what made him tic. It would be a fun diversion.

-------------------------------------------------

Hyuuga Hiashi was curious.

There wasn't that much that transpired in Konoha he wasn't privy to…after all, he was the head of undisputedly the most powerful clan in the leaf…this entitled him to _know_ things that most of the time, only the Hokage and his most private confidants knew of. Undoubtedly, there were _some_ secrets that he didn't know, but he contented himself day in and day out on the fact that if something drastic were to change within the village, he would be one of the first to know about it.

Hence his curiosity. For almost twelve years, the Namikaze estates had been completely vacant, save for the only occasional maid that gave the place a once-over, and usually that maid was the Hokage's _personal_ maid, who was used to clean residences that held the greatest of secrets. The place was undoubtedly one of the village's most _potent_ secrets, and Hiashi had taken it upon himself to vigilantly guard the estates from anyone who would attempt to break in, or just get _too close_.

Why he had seen the Uzumaki boy and the Hokage enter the estates yesterday then, was of the greatest mystery to him. To his knowledge, the Hokage had only ever visited the place once…and that was shortly after Minato had died. Other than that, the only person to have ever entered was the aforementioned maid…and even then, she was _specifically_ restricted in her movements within the domicile. From what he had seen the previous day, the Uzumaki boy was completely exempt from those restrictions, as he was freely allowed to roam the house and even the back yard with impunity.

Minato had been one of Hiashi's most trusted friends during their time. At one time, they had an absolutely _heated_ rivalry…most people that didn't know them would say that they hated each other with a passion. This couldn't have been further from the truth. While they had both competed throughout their lifetime, first for the position of rookie of the year, and then in the Chuunin exams, and even the Jounin exams…they had also developed a bond that was unbreakable by anything but death itself. Even then, Hiashi honored the man as one of the village's greatest and most respected heroes, and he had been one of the few people that in the beginning, simply _knew_ that the seal on the Uzumaki boy was strong…that they were two separate entities. It was his faith in Minato's capabilities as a ninja and as a seal savant that gave him this diehard conviction.

The Uzumaki boy got some of this respect from the man as well, if only by virtue of his burden. The boy did a great service for the village as a whole, and while Hiashi respected the boy for being able to put up with it…he hadn't seen anything that gave him the impression that the boy was worthy of respect _over and above_ that. The fact that the boy was a prankster and an attention hog didn't quite help his case either.

Hiashi had a few theories as to why the Uzumaki boy was now residing within the estates…most of them revolved around some form of last wishes that Minato might have made to try to give the boy a better life…it made sense at least, seeing as how there were no Namikaze left in Konoha, and Minato's only son had died during the attack. The Uzumaki boy simply inherited it by default, being the closest thing Minato had to an heir, or at least he supposed.

Hiashi however, did not like leaving things to mere theory and conjecture. He would figure out why it was that the boy came to live in the estates, and he figured that the most efficient way of doing this was by simply getting the information 'from the horse's mouth' so to speak. Naruto would undoubtedly be easier to extract information from than the Hokage would be, and in truth, he wanted to meet the boy for himself, especially if he was to be his new 'neighbor'.

He had also been tremendously curious as to who the girl with him had been. She looked…elegant…and yet at the same time, tremendously deadly. She was certainly well developed for a girl her age, and if Hiashi didn't know better, he'd say that she was nobility. From his vantage point as he watched him train, he had only been able to get the slightest of glimpses of her before she had vanished further into the woods, but he was _sure_ that he had seen whisker marks. He had entertained thoughts that she was somehow a relative of the Uzumaki, but quickly brushed those thoughts away…near as Hiashi knew the boy was just as much an orphan as he had been before, and if he had family, he would have gone to live with them, as opposed to inheriting the estates of a completely different one.

That is why Hiashi was strolling over to the Namikaze estates at approximately six forty five at night, shortly after dinner. He had seen the boy practicing in a rather interesting way…using a very _large_ amount of Kage Bunshin…and he was instantly curious about _that_ as well. The boy had only stopped about fifteen minutes ago, and he hoped that it had been enough time for him to recover enough to greet him. Not that it mattered. The boy would greet him whether he was exhausted or not. This was simply a given. If nothing else, he assumed that the girl would greet him, and she would undoubtedly have at least _some_ of the answers he needed.

After all, he was Hyuuga Hiashi…what he wanted, he _got_.

-------------------------------------------------------

Naruto hurt in places that didn't exist.

Or at least, he didn't _think_ they existed. The pain he was in was so mind-numbing that perhaps he had forgotten that he had appendages that could hurt, or better yet, forgotten that he even had a body. All he _knew_ at the moment was that he was in _pain_…and it _hurt_ enough that he simply wanted to sit here, soaking in the onsen, for the rest of eternity.

His mind wasn't in much better shape. He had dispelled his clones only about ten minutes ago, and he had only a minute or two ago woken up from being unconscious. The mental fatigue had been enough to completely shut down his mind, and it was only by virtue of a rather large shot of Kyuubi's chakra that he wasn't still passed out. He wondered for a moment if perhaps that wasn't preferable to being awake and having to endure the mental and physical exhaustion that he was now feeling.

Sorting through his memories, he found that his training had gone well. He was fairly confident that he could walk on water now, and he had a basic grasp of the **Rasengan**. It wasn't complete by any stretch of the imagination, but he was fairly certain that he could get up to the third step before he struggled. It would take quite a bit more training before he had the thing mastered, but he was confident that he could get it complete by the end of the week, assuming he trained this way every day.

The training that he had done regarding the 'chakra field' manipulation had gone…interestingly. The field itself was apparently easy to produce…the problem mostly stemmed from the fact that he had so much chakra, that the field encompassed almost twenty five feet in every direction. This led to things being alternately attracted and repelled from him at different rates, creating an almost maelstrom of perceived telekinesis. He would have to work much harder on the chakra field to be able to use it effectively, and he would probably have to apply his chakra compression lessons learned from the **Rasengan** training to be able to get the field to a manageable level.

His physical training on the other hand, had been particularly grueling. He had managed to climb up and down the rock outcropping almost fifty times before the training session had ended, and while he could simply _feel_ that he was stronger than he was, the physical pain was almost unbearable. This was mostly due, apparently, to the fact that his muscles were _not_ used to such physical exertion. That, coupled with the fact that he was _sure_ that he had pulled many different muscle groups, and probably even tore a tendon or two, and it was easy to see why his body was in such bad shape. Kyuubi assured him, however, that her chakra was working diligently at healing him, although it would take a bit longer than usual, due to the fact that all of the injuries were so spread out over his body.

All in all, it had been a rousing success. His body training was going well, his chakra control training was going well, and he would be able to use the **Rasengan** soon enough…not to mention his abilities created by the chakra field. Naruto allowed a ghost of a smile to float over his face as the heat of the onsen calmed his overexerted body. If this is what it took to get stronger…then so be it. Pain was something he was used to, and something he could readily endure, if it meant that he would come out on the other side stronger for it.

He was broken from his thoughts as he heard a low growl coming from Kyuubi, who at last he had seen her, was currently in the house proper. He figured that she must be growling through their mental link, about what he had no idea.

He didn't have to wait very long to find out. **_'You have a visitor. I suggest you come answer the door, unless you want _me_ to.'_** Naruto's eyes widened slightly and he quickly sent a confirmation that he was on his way. He really didn't want anyone finding out about her.

Quickly stepping out of the onsen, he threw on an oversized bathrobe that had apparently belonged to his father, and all but ran into the house and to the front door. He had to constantly make sure that his feet were on solid ground, lest he trip over the hem of the housecoat that was _much_ too large for him.

When he reached the front door, he peered through the eye hole and let an annoyed frown play on his face. Of all the times that his new 'neighbor' could have chosen to make a house call…he had planned on visiting the Hyuuga compound at some point, but he had figured that it could wait a little longer. Apparently, _they_ couldn't wait at all.

Naruto contemplated simply not answering the door for a moment, before a second, more insistent knocking made itself known. Naruto could almost groan…he forgot, Hyuuga could see through stuff…undoubtedly, the man knew that he was behind the door, hesitating. With a forced sheepish grin, he unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing a slightly pissed off looking Hyuuga Hiashi.

For a moment, neither party spoke. Naruto was trying to figure out just what to do…he had never had guests before, or at least uninvited ones. No one had ever really come over to his apartment except for Iruka and Sandaime…and he had yet to really figure out how to 'serve' a guest. It was one of the glaring social deficiencies the boy possessed that he desperately wanted to get rid of.

Hiashi on the other hand simply got more and more irritated by the second. The boy obviously knew no manners, or proper etiquette for that matter…it was always the host that spoke first, and he was supposed to invite him into his house. The boy had done neither…he was simply staring dumbly at him as though he were some quirk of imagination. Hiashi decided to simply get on with it.

"Uzumaki Naruto, correct? If I may, I need to have a few words with you." With that, the older man simply walked into Naruto's house and found his way to a seat. Naruto still had a dumbfounded look on his face, but it was now tempered with only slight irritation. Hiashi obviously knew nothing of congeniality. He had to suppress an irritated growl…he supposed that _nobles_ like him were born with a perpetual stick up their ass.

Instead he simply sighed and walked into the kitchen. He knew just enough about playing the host that he was supposed to get a beverage or some such thing for his guest before he sat down. It was considered 'proper' or some such thing…it was one of the few things that Sarutobi had taught him about having guests.

His first reaction was to brew a small pot of tea; however that idea was soon quashed as he realized that he had absolutely no idea where anything was in this kitchen. He hadn't taken time to go through the cupboards or even the refrigerator…the only thing he could think of on the fly to replace tea…

He strolled casually up to the liquor cabinet and withdrew two simple bottles of Sake. Not knowing where the saucers were kept, he simply figured it easier to simply give the man a bottle of Sake than try in vain to make an impromptu search of all of the nooks and crannies in the kitchen. Besides, it was late…Sake _was_ supposed to be an 'evening' drink, right?

Walking back into the living room, he was met with a slightly perturbed Hyuuga. He was currently sitting on the edge of one of the couches, in a typical posture that indicated formality. Naruto just rolled his eyes. He supposed that relaxation wasn't in the man's vocabulary.

With an unceremonious toss, the second sake bottle flew threw the air towards the man, where it was caught with a surprised gasp. Naruto himself just sat down on what was obviously the 'head' recliner, before uncorking his own bottle and taking a cursory sip, once again savoring the burning sensation down his throat and the almost immediate effects it had on him.

Hiashi simply watched all of this with fascination. This boy hadn't made tea or anything of the sort…he had brought out _Sake_, and not only that, but he had simply given him a bottle…no saucer. Either that meant that he expected the conversation to last for a long time, or he didn't care enough to truly put any effort into it.

"I couldn't find the saucers…you'll just have to drink out of the bottle. Sorry." Naruto had seen the look of slight confusion on the man's face…he surmised that he was wondering where the cups were. The almost amused look on the other man's face told him that he'd been right.

Hiashi resisted the urge to draw a resigned smirk. He was over thinking the situation entirely…his first mistake. Of course he had just moved into this house, how would he know where everything was? Hiashi just nodded to the boy and uncorked his own bottle, taking his first sips of the beverage as well.

He gave only a small amount of thought towards the fact that Naruto was only twelve…most people recognized that once a person was a ninja, certain social restrictions were lifted, regardless of age. The laws that governed such things were there mostly for the civilian populous…Shinobi lived by a much different set of standards. They could be called upon to fight and die for the village at any time, regardless of age…because of this, exceptions were made on a regular basis.

They sat there in a somewhat comfortable silence for a few moments longer before Hiashi set down his sake bottle on a flat surface adjacent to his seat and leaned back. Undoubtedly, they would be having a long conversation…and seeing that Naruto had no real expectation of acting formal, Hiashi would be informal as well. It was a skill…to be able to sit among kings as well as someone sat among the plebes. It was one that those in power usually took for granted, or never learned at all. Hiashi's father, however, had drilled it into his skull at an early age, and he thanked him for it every day.

Naruto, noticing the man's posture relaxing, turned his gaze upon the man and waited for him to speak. It was obvious by the almost painfully pensive look on the man's face that he had something to say or talk about, and although Naruto had a _very_ good idea of what it was, he decided to let the other man make the first move.

"Uzumaki…I am curious to know why you are currently a resident of this estate. Undoubtedly, you know who once lived here…and this means that you know of a whole host of information that comes with that knowledge. I'll spare you some sacrosanct speech about the man that lived here, but suffice it to say that I am…was…a friend of the man that lived in this house. As such…"

"I know." Naruto decided to interrupt the man before he could go on some diplomatic tangent. He had neither the desire nor the inclination to involve himself in some war of words, and that's exactly what the man was angling at.

Seeing the somewhat flustered and surprised look on the man's face, he decided to continue before _he_ could. Taking another sip of sake, he began.

"You are Hyuuga Hiashi, are you not?" Seeing the other man nod, he continued. "The Hokage told me that at some point, I would be speaking with you, but he did not tell me when or under what circumstances…he left those up to me, although it seems as though you are the one that has taken the initiative. I _was_ planning on coming over sooner or later…but oh well. This is a good a time as any." Naruto saw the impassive and schooled face of his guest twitch slightly and had to suppress a smirk.

"You're right. I do know a host of information about myself, and about the man that once lived here, that I didn't know even a day or so ago. It is for that exact reason that I am a resident of this estate now. More than that, I now _own_ this estate completely…the title and deed are now in my name. My _real_ name." He let that hang for a moment and took another sip before he continued, seeing the confused, surprised and very irritated looking face of the man in front of him.

"This place is mine through he rights of inheritance. I'm sure you understand what that means." Naruto had to suppress a wide Cheshire grin at seeing Hiashi's face go from somewhat schooled to complete astonishment in half a second.

And then to angry. "Are you implying that you are his _son_?!" Hiashi had said it with enough vitriol to make Naruto wince. It was obviously not a question, as much as an accusation.

Hiashi stood and towered over the boy, his eyes boring down onto him with enough Ki to make most children wet their pants. "You may be all that is left of his _legacy_, Naruto…but you are _not_ the Yondaime's son! He died on the night of the Kyuubi massacre, and you despoil his memory with your foolish _assertions_! I will not have you impersonating a dead child!" Hiashi was by now almost spitting at the boy in front of him, barely containing his urge to teach the boy a lesson in the uses of the Jyuuken.

Naruto, to his credit, was holding up rather well. Due to the fact that almost every villager in town had at one time or another directed Ki at him, he was very much used to killing intent, and was able to brush it off rather easily. It was something he was very much accustomed to.

Instead of issuing a verbal retort to the man standing in front of him, Naruto simply stared carefully into the other man's eyes, before getting up and motioning the Hiashi to follow him. Hiashi balked for a second, thinking that perhaps the brat was trying to tell him to leave the house, before he saw where Naruto headed and blanched, causing his normally pale skin to become even more ashen.

The boy was walking towards the stairs…specifically, the _basement_. With a flash, Hiashi placed himself between Naruto and the barrier that protected the greatest secrets in the village, saving the boy from a certain death, at least in his mind.

"What are you doing? Didn't the Hokage warn you about going into the basement?! If you pass this threshold, you'll be killed almost instantly!" While he may not like the boy, he still didn't want his death on his conscience. To his surprise and annoyance, the boy simply smirked.

"What would you say if I told you that I spent a good portion of last night in that very basement, and that I have access to the family jutsu vault?" Naruto kept his infuriating smirk on, as if daring the older man to reiterate his prior assertion that he wasn't in fact Yondaime's son.

Hiashi just started for a moment before his eyes took on a serious and almost scolding glint. "I'd say that you are a liar. Only those who are given permission, or of Minato's blood can pass through this seal." Hiashi resisted the urge to groan…so _that's_ why the boy had been going towards the basement…obviously, he was trying to bluff him into believing that he was truly Minato's offspring.

Naruto's own grin simply got wider, before he pushed past Hiashi and ran towards the basement threshold. Hiashi tried to grab onto the boy's coat, or _anything_, and when he failed that, he tried to push chakra to his feet, hoping beyond hope that he could be fast enough to stop the boy from basically killing himself trying to enter the basement.

Naruto had too much of a head start. With an only slight shimmering, the barrier between the basement and the first floor was passed. Hiashi just grimaced. There was nothing he could do now…the traps would set off in a few seconds, and he would be killed before he even reached the third step. Hiashi steeled himself to teleport to the Hokage's office to report the boy's death…

And then he realized that absolutely nothing had happened.

With trepidation, he walked to the barrier and peered down, expecting to see the bloody remains of the blonde haired boy. What he saw instead was a smirking Naruto leaning on the banister. None of the traps had reacted at all, and the barrier had _definitely_ not failed.

It took a few moments for Hiashi to register just exactly what this meant, before his eyes went wide, and he nearly started to tremble. This boy…was of Minato's blood. Minato did not have any other relatives in Konoha…and that meant…that…Naruto…he…was…he had to stifle a gasp.

Uzumaki…no…Namikaze Naruto was Namikaze Minato's son. The boy standing not a few feet away from him was the flesh and blood son of one of his best friends…over and above that, he was the container for the Kyuubi…his Byakugan could easily see the red chakra mixed into the boy's own coils…that meant that he wasn't some imposter…so...that meant…that Uzumaki Naruto, who up until now had simply been a random orphan who had been given the fate of holding the Kyuubi, was now Namikaze Naruto, son of the most powerful Shinobi to ever live, and container of the most powerful demon ever to grace the face of the earth.

Naruto was unnerved by the smile that popped up on Hyuuga Hiashi's face. It wasn't something that you'd be expecting to see on the face of one of the most 'serious' men in the village, let alone a _Hyuuga_. It was wide, and it was genuine. Whatever response he had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this.

When the man finally spoke, it was in a slightly reserved tone that sounded almost like regret. "So…you really are…_his_ son. All these years…" He trailed off and he just shook his head. "Naruto-san…I would very much like to know how it was that your secret was so well kept all these years." He fixed Naruto with an almost _respectful_ gaze, and Naruto just nodded.

They both walked back to the living room and sat down in their respective seats again, before Naruto was almost shocked to see Hiashi take a long drawn out swig from his sake bottle. Hiashi just got a reminiscent look on his face before he turned to Naruto, as if giving him a silent command to explain. Naruto was only too happy to oblige.

Naruto regaled the man with the same story he had told Kouseki, leaving out the parts regarding the Kyuubi as much as he could. It took almost a good half hour of explaining, as Hiashi asked some good questions that Naruto was hard pressed to answer without outright lying. By the end, Hiashi's own sake bottle was completely empty, and Naruto had polished off at least half of his.

After a few more moments of silence, it was Hiashi that broke the calm. "That's…quite the tale. The most interesting thing about it, however, is that I can readily see it happening." Hiashi seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed…and Naruto didn't blame him. He too had been overwhelmed; it was only natural for others to have the same reaction.

Hiashi seemed to be contemplative for a few moments before he shook his head and rose to his feet. Naruto did the same, having gotten at least a passing respect for the man in front of him, not to mention that he had to see if he could really stand up at the moment, or if the sake was having a bit too much of an effect on him. Luckily, he seemed to be only somewhat inebriated, and managed to stand up with only a slight sway.

Hiashi just chuckled. The boy couldn't quite take his liquor yet…but it was to be expected. He _was_ only twelve. "It's gotten late, Naruto-san…I have a few things I want to take care of back at the compound before I retire for the night. It was…" He trailed off, as if trying to find the appropriate adjective to use. "It was very _enlightening_ to talk to you. I hope that we can do so again at some point. Perhaps some time this week you can visit me in the compound, perhaps have dinner with myself and my family?" Naruto just nodded and graced the Hyuuga head with only a very slight bow and a smile.

Hiashi walked towards the door and allowed Naruto to usher him out. As he was in the threshold, however, he paused and turned back to the blond haired young man in front of him. "Naruto…your father and I were good friends…the Hokage told you as much. I owe him quite a bit…and seeing as how you are his offspring, I would like to repay my debts to him through you…if you would allow such a thing." Naruto resisted the urge to scowl, and only gave a small nod in acceptance. He would have to get over the feeling of almost disgust he got when people treated him with respect just because of his father…it was going to happen, and there was really nothing he could do about it. Besides, if he got something out of the deal, why complain?

Hiashi just smiled. "If you need anything, please, know that I am only a short walk away." With that, he gave Naruto a cursory bow and began walking back towards the Hyuuga compound. Naruto just sighed and closed the door.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would." Kyuubi came around the corner from where she had been hiding and promptly made her way to the couch, somehow grabbing the rest of Naruto's sake and downing it unceremoniously. Naruto didn't think to ask how sake would actually effect someone without a body, simply contenting himself to sit down and let forth another shuddering sigh.

"Yeah…I have a dinner appointment with the guy later this week though…I'm sure he'll ask more questions then." He closed his eyes and relaxed visibly, before throwing a smirk at Kyuubi.

"Did you have fun playing hide and seek when I went to the basement entrance?" Kyuubi scowled playfully and glared at him. He _knew_ that she had been hiding at the bottom of the basement stairs…

She threw the sake bottle at him, narrowly missing his head. Naruto just grinned like a Cheshire cat. "I'll take that as a no."

They sat there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Naruto got up and stretched. "Well, my body seems to be feeling better. I think I'll head to bed early tonight. See you in the seal." With that, Naruto walked to the stairs and up to his bedroom. Kyuubi was left sitting on the couch.

She simply sat there with a pensive look on her face for a moment before she seemed to sigh. Naruto didn't know that Hiashi had seen her. Not only that, but Hiashi had seen her in her fox form…and with his Byakugan activated. Undoubtedly, he would have seen the red chakra that was undoubtedly _hers_ in the fox kit that she had been at the time. It wasn't really Naruto's fault though…the second Hiashi had activated his Byakugan, he had been able to see in an almost three hundred and sixty degree panorama of vision…he would have seen her even if Naruto _hadn't_ gone all mischievous.

For the moment, Kyuubi decided that Naruto didn't need to know. Hiashi hadn't asked, which meant that either he knew, or he didn't care…Kyuubi doubted that someone like him simply _wouldn't care_ about a fox possessing _her_ unique brand of chakra…so it had to be that he knew something that they didn't know that he knew…

Kyuubi just sighed and rubbed her temples…this could get troublesome. She searched through the mental link that she shared with Naruto and found that he was definitely asleep…he had had a particularly rough day, so it didn't really surprise her that he was exhausted. She just smiled slightly. The boy was easily breaking all of her expectations…he would have the **Rasengan** mastered by the end of the week, that much she was sure of. His ability to enhance his senses would undoubtedly be better, and his chakra control as well as bodily conditioning was proceeding rapidly. The only thing he was stumbling on was the chakra field, but that was to be expected…with as much chakra as he had, compressing it to create a field would invariably a near impossible task. She had no doubt that he would succeed, though.

She just shook her head, and closed her eyes, before she poofed out of existence, going back to her 'home' in the seal. She saw Naruto just sitting by the fireplace again, anatomy book in hand, but this time, it was the intermediate book. She smirked. After tonight, if he didn't already, he would have a tolerance for 'gross' stuff…looking at diagrams of the intestinal tract would do that to you.

She went and sat down in the chair, and watched as Naruto just shuddered at a few pictures that he was seeing in the book as he flipped through it. Kyuubi gave him a mischievous grin, and Naruto gulped.

"**Time for a lesson on how food and other substances are processed as they move through the body. I hope you're ready for a slide show…"** Kyuubi smirked as Naruto visibly paled. This was going to be _fun_.

-------------------------------------------------

Tenten didn't think that she could be more confused…or curious.

She had made her way to the address that her father had given here almost 2 hours ago…to see a sight that she never quite thought she would see.

She had seen Hyuuga Hiashi _bowing_ to Naruto. It hadn't been much of a bow, nothing more than a slight tilting of the waist…but Hyuuga Hiashi _never_ bowed to _anyone_. _Ever_. She had been to the Hyuuga compound before different times to either notify Neji of something or on regular errands for Gai-sensei…and she had _never_ seen Hiashi bow to anyone. He was overbearing, arrogant, selfish, and the most typical clan head you could ever meet. Him bowing to someone would mean that person deserved his respect…admiration, even. To think that Hyuuga Hiashi respected or even _admired_ someone was…an interesting thought.

Undoubtedly, the Hyuuga had been inside of the house that Naruto now resided in…a massive sprawling estate with a rather large house at its front. It even looked as though he was _smiling_ at Naruto…as if they had just shared a drink or something. Hiashi never _shared_ a drink with anyone…or she _thought_ he didn't. Perhaps she didn't know as much about the stick-up-the-ass Hyuuga head as she thought she did.

Nevertheless, she had taken her leave after seeing them interacting with one another…Naruto had looked somewhat disheveled and exhausted, not to mention that he didn't look particularly _congenial_ at the time. Anyone could see that his politeness and hospitality were forced, at best. It had obviously not been the best time.

That's why she was lying here in bed after having done her evening rituals, unable to sleep. Naruto was on her mind, and he was now more of a mystery than he had been before. Not only that, but to have garnered the respect of someone that Neji all but _hated_…she shook her head and turned over. If she kept thinking about it, she'd never get to sleep. Sighing, she performed a relaxing exercise and began to drift off, her mind unconsciously drifting towards the blonde haired mystery in her dreams.

------------------------------------------------------

Naruto woke up feeling queasy. Seeing the things he had seen last night…he stopped that train of thought ruthlessly. It wouldn't do for him to get grossed out at such…relatively tame…things.

Last night's lessons had been especially…thorough. He had a working knowledge of the processes that food, water, and of course, other more harmful substances went through on their way through the body. Kyuubi had told him that it was a vital skill to have…to know where a poison would be in a person's body at what time due to knowing how long ago the person had ingested the poison or other toxin. It was something she had drilled into his head.

Another thing that had been drilled into him was that he needed to be desensitized to things like this. During his time as a Shinobi and as a medic, he would undoubtedly see scenes that were thousands of times worse than what he would see in a simple 'textbook'. Violence, killing, death…they weren't pretty scenes, and if he froze up every time that he saw a dead body, or got blood all over him, he wouldn't make a good Shinobi.

That's why they had decided that at some point soon, they would have Naruto make his first kill. They hadn't really decided on _how_, so much that they knew he really had to. It was in a Shinobi's job description to kill, and it was another thing that he had to be ruthlessly desensitized to. Not to mention the fact that he would have to ruthlessly train his emotions to not react when he killed someone, especially if that person _deserved_ it. Naruto and Kyuubi both were of the opinion that going the route of 'every life is precious!' was just stupid. Some people just needed to die. End of story.

He got up and performed his daily rituals before putting on another pair of clean clothes that he had bought yesterday, along with his armor, katana, mask, and forehead protector around his neck. His kunai pouch went on the only unarmored part of his thigh, and his shuriken pouch hung off of his dark maroon utility belt. With a satisfied nod, he ran out the front door, heading to the training grounds.

On the way, his thoughts wandered to the other part of his…training…that he had done, specifically, the book on sealing and the scroll on healing. Searching his memory on both subjects, he found that the book on sealing had made close to _no_ sense…although he did have a very basic grasp of the concepts. Undoubtedly, he would need to find more literature on the subject before he could truly train in it…the book he had gotten was obviously meant for those who had a better knowledge of other aspects of chakra manipulation that he admittedly didn't possess.

The healing scroll had been much clearer. It had been succinct and to the point, and it gave Naruto a very basic grasp on how exactly one produced medical chakra. It was basically a form of nature manipulation…albeit, it didn't possess a 'nature' in the sense that it didn't fall into any of the 'natural' categories, such as Doton, Fuuton, Raiton…etc. Rather, its nature was based around a _human_ natured concept. You made your chakra into one that stimulated healing, regeneration and benevolence…basically, it relied on the focus and nature of the person who was wielding it. You simply had to delve into your own human nature, and bring out a healing touch. The concept itself was a bit ethereal, but one couldn't argue with the fact that it _worked_ time and time again…it was a wonder that anyone had actually come up with the idea.

Naruto resolved himself to train the medical chakra concept as much as possible at his next training session. He wanted to get it out of the way, so to speak…as soon as he could make medical chakra, he could focus on human anatomy even more than he was now, and eventually, become a good medic. He was blessed with the ability to simply not have to worry about the chakra control requirements that medical chakra required. It was certainly a good gift that his mother had given him.

He was broken from his musings as he came upon his training grounds to see that Sasuke and Sakura were already there. He almost smirked. He was obviously slightly late, but there was a very good chance that their sensei wouldn't be here for a while anyway. At the very least, it allowed leeway in their schedule.

His teammates immediately noticed his change in attire…again. "What are you trying to do, make yourself some sort of ANBU?" Sasuke had a smirk on his face, no doubt happy with himself for such a _witty_ insult.

Naruto just smirked behind his mask. "Well, I'm closer than you are, that's for sure." Sasuke's smirk disappeared and turned into a scowl. Naruto just smiled.

Of course, Sakura came to his rescue. "Naruto! Do you really think that you're better than Sasuke-kun? He's the rookie of the year, and you're the dobe! Get it through your skull!" Sakura was all but glowering at him, and Naruto just sighed. It seems as though the previous day's lessons were all but lost on her.

"Sakura, I do not believe myself better than anyone. I'm _different_. I have different strengths and weaknesses than you or even Sasuke does. Sasuke is better at stealth and taijutsu than I am…at the moment…and you have more book smarts and better chakra control than any of us. I have more chakra than almost anyone alive and I have quite a bit of potential. We were put on a team so that our weaknesses would be balanced out by our teammate's strengths. That's the whole _concept_ of a team. _You_ also have to learn that Sasuke and I have been insulting each other for the better part of two years, and it means virtually _nothing_. I call Sasuke a teme, he calls me a dobe…that's just the way it works. Stop trying to worm your way into it." Naruto was pleasantly surprised when Sakura just looked shocked and frustrated, as if trying to refute his logic somehow, and failing miserably.

To Naruto's never-ending surprise, Sasuke just smirked, even though he looked somewhat uncomfortable. Perhaps he was a bit uncomfortable at having their little camaraderie actually voiced, as opposed to being something that was just readily assumed. No doubt, however, that he was glad that someone had finally put Sakura in her place.

After a few moments of stunned or just stupefied silence, Sasuke made the first move to break it. "Where's that useless fox of yours, Dobe?" Naruto almost cringed…if Kyuubi had heard that, she'd go-

'**_USELESS? KILL HIM! REND HIS FLESH!'_** Naruto could feel the fox's chakra spike within him, and briefly entertained the idea of summoning her right there to let Sasuke know just how 'useless' she was. Luckily, he resisted the urge.

Instead he simply shrugged and leaned on the stump that had become their unofficial gathering point. "Decided not to bring her today. And I'll have you know that she's _not_ useless. Certainly more useful in a fight than Sakura." Naruto decided to give them a common enemy to distract them from the subject of Kyuubi…she was already irritated enough as it is.

His comment had the desired effect, but also had the effect of making Sakura tear up just slightly. Sasuke's next comment sealed the deal. "Hn. I suppose." Sasuke just slumped further on the stump and stared at a point in the distance, no doubt shutting himself off to the emotion that Sakura would undoubtedly be exuding in a moment.

It was like clockwork. Sakura just looked down, slight sobs shaking her body. Naruto just scowled. He couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for the girl…if she were a real Kunoichi, she would work on her own skill, not just sob like a little pitiful girl. She hadn't seemed to grasp the concept that if she truly wanted to get Sasuke's attention, she would have to work on herself as a Ninja, rather than as a simpering little girl that clung to his every whim and word.

Nevertheless, Naruto hated the sight of a girl crying. Whatever small amount of chivalry existed in him came to the surface and Naruto cursed himself for it.

"Sakura, instead of crying…train. Sasuke and I speak the truth…harsh though it may be. If you don't want to be considered useless, then train to _become _something that isn't." Naruto hoped beyond hope that perhaps his explanation of their comments would satiate or even motivate the girl, but this proved not to be the case. She simply sobbed even more, but she managed to choke out some words between sobs.

"I…I'm a Kunoichi! I'm not as strong as a male Shinobi is…I can't be…" Naruto just snapped his head to the girl, feeling his own ire rise dangerously, and he unconsciously directed a small amount of Ki in his glare, making Sakura stop her crying and look up to him in fright. Even Sasuke felt it and seemed to get a concentrated stare, as if trying to determine what Naruto's next move would be.

Naruto was seething…this girl was using her _gender_ as an excuse?! She thought that just because she was a girl, that she couldn't be strong? Naruto nearly slapped the girl, but restrained himself from doing so for the sake of remaining at least somewhat civil. His tone, however, left no doubt as to his fury.

"Sakura…if I ever hear you making excuses because you're a _girl_ again…I will lose what little respect I have left for you. Do you think that just because you're a _girl_, that you're automatically weak? Is _that_ why you refuse to train? Is _that_ why you hang on Sasuke and act like some poor little damsel-in-distress? Do you think that Sasuke is going to always be there to _save_ you every time we go on a mission that might be dangerous?" Naruto by now was towering over a shivering Sakura, and Sasuke was ready to step in if Naruto got physical…his Ki was spiking wildly.

Naruto just picked up Sakura by the nape of her shirt and stared at her eyes with barely concealed contempt. Sakura needed an attitude adjustment, and he would have to be the one to give it to her.

"We are _Shinobi_. We are _Ninja_. At any moment, we can be called to fight, and to _die_ for our village at a whim. There are people out there that would kill you without a second thought, and there are people out there who would do _worse_ thank kill you, just for _fun_." Sakura by now was shivering uncontrollably, and Sasuke was seriously getting ready to pull Naruto back if he decided to go any further. He knew that Sakura needed something like this, but Naruto…he seemed to have lost his temper rather easily.

He didn't have to. "Naruto, that's enough. Put her down." Kakashi appeared in front of them, a stern look in his one visible eye. Naruto just stared at him for a moment before releasing her from his grip and going back to his spot on the stump. Sakura just sobbed a bit more and stared at the ground. Sasuke let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding in…Naruto had felt _dangerous_…more dangerous than he had ever felt before. There was something more to the dobe than just some bloodline…he resolved himself to find out what it was.

Kakashi just stared at them for a moment before he sighed and got a deadpan look on his face. "Well, I was going to have us go to the Hokage tower to get our first mission…but obviously, we have some…_issues_ to sort out first." He shot an almost glare at Naruto, but his glare showed no pity for Sakura.

"Naruto, come with me for a moment. You two, stay here." He motioned for Naruto to follow him, and follow him he did. Sasuke just stared after them for a moment before schooling himself back into indifference. Sakura just stayed as she was…an emotional mess.

After walking for a few minutes, Kakashi stopped. Before Naruto knew what was going on, he found himself pinned against the tree by four kunai, and a visibly pissed off Kakashi staring him down. He almost gulped, but thought better of it…he wouldn't show weakness in a situation like this.

"Naruto…you are never, _never_ again to threaten your teammates like that again. Do I make myself clear?" Kakashi's one eye was shooting daggers at the blonde and he couldn't resist a slight flinch adorning his face, though Kakashi couldn't see it…he thought.

Naruto couldn't agree, however. Sakura needed to be woke up from her fantasy of being some waif in the wind that was going to be whisked away by her prince…she was a Kunoichi, and she needed to start _acting_ like one, or else some day she would _die_, and there would be nothing that Sasuke and Naruto could do about it. It was really for her own good.

"Kakashi-sensei, you know as well as I do that she needs a wake up call. I was simply giving it to her." If possible, Kakashi's one eye narrowed even further at the demon container.

Kakashi walked up to Naruto, and with a well placed punch, knocked the wind out of Naruto, causing him to gasp for a few seconds. Kakashi grabbed the nape of his shirt just as he had done to Sakura, and pulled his head up to eye level, breaking the grip the kunai had on him. "Whether she needs a wakeup call or not, that does _not_ give you reprieve to physically and mentally assault her. I felt the Ki you were putting into your stare…she damned near wet her pants because of it. Naruto, accept that she is just as much of an _adult_ as you are…she makes her own decisions. If she wants to be some damsel-in-distress, so be it…it's _her_ decision. You don't have to respect her for it, but you had damned well better accept that _you_ can't change it…the change can only come from herself." Kakashi unceremoniously dropped Naruto on his butt, and turned his back.

Naruto heard Kakashi sigh and watched his demeanor visibly relax. "Naruto…I know that this was your way of…showing some amount of compassion for the girl…but I will not have discordance among my soldiers. That's exactly what you three are. I am your sensei, but you are also _my_ subordinates, and as such, you will obey me. Specifically, _you_ will obey me. I think _they_ already know this." Kakashi just turned around, this time with a gentler, but still firm gaze.

"In the course of being a Shinobi, she'll realize that she is either not cut out for it, or that she has to get stronger. The realization has to come from her. As such, I'm ordering you not to take such action against her again. She's still your teammate…and I expect you to at the very least act civilly towards her. Do I make myself clear?" Naruto could do nothing but nod.

Kakashi sighed again and motioned Naruto to follow him once more. They walked in silence back to the stump, where things had remained relatively unchanged, save for the fact that Sakura was apparently done crying and was leaning on the stump with an unreadable expression on her face. Sasuke glanced in their direction and his eyes widened just slightly at seeing a few small rips in Naruto's clothing where the kunai had pinned him to the tree.

Kakashi shot a glance towards Naruto, and Naruto almost grimaced. He was being expected to apologize…he just sighed. He supposed that he would have to think over Kakashi-sensei's words later and see if they truly rang true.

"Sakura…I apologize for my outburst. I hope that this won't affect our teamwork." Naruto delivered his apology with a slight bow, before he took his position on the stump again, noticing that Sakura's expression had changed to one of just slight irritation.

Kakashi just sighed. They'd have to make up later on their own time. They had a mission to do. "Right then. Follow me to the Hokage tower; we're going to get our first mission." Sasuke visibly perked at this, and even Naruto seemed more enthused than he had been. Sakura just nodded dumbly, not yet over the shock of having Naruto yell at her.

The four of them made their way to the Hokage tower, unsure of their bond as a team.

--------------------------------------------

A/N: And that's chapter five. Next chapter will have a very small time skip, and detail a bit of Naruto's training. I'll probably also introduce Hinata, and maybe even Ino, but we'll see.

To be honest, I'm not very enthused about how this chapter came out...but I suppose it's good enough. The writers block demon struck me this week, so perhaps that's the reason that I don't much like this chapter. Who knows.

I'm really trying to find ideas for introducing a bit of action into the story before the wave arc…and yes, I _am_ going to do the wave mission, but not like you might think. It _will_ be different than usual, much more so I think. I just want to find something where I can do an action scene without having to time skip all the way to the wave arc, and miss some crucial character development. We'll see if I can't add some good action into the next chapter for good measure…but I really can't promise anything. Sorry.

One last thing…I'm truly truly sorry, but I think I need to introduce another bloodline for Naruto to have…a completely original one mind you, but manga canon kind of forced my hand. I've had this idea for a long time, and I've been _itching_ to use it…I promise you, however, that Naruto will _not_ turn into a Mary-Sue. That is to say, Naruto is not going to become overpowered. He'll be _more_ powerful, yes, but what do you expect from someone being trained by Kyuubi? We'll see if I add the bloodline in or not…if I do, I'll do it tactfully, I promise. If not, then you have nothing to worry about.

_**If there's someone out there that speaks fluent Japanese that wouldn't mind helping me with a few translations, I'd be very grateful. Just message me via my profile.**_


	6. The Fruits of our Labors

Howdy! Sorry this one took a bit longer than usual…I came down with a rather nasty inner ear infection, and the meds I'm taking for it kind of threw me for a loop. Just a few things for this AN.

Firstly, I created a forum for myself so that I can give periodic updates on the status of chapters, and notify y'all of delays and whatnot. Makes it easier than having to publish a filler chapter or some such thing.

Secondly, to those that asked about the new bloodline…it will be a secret, but I _will_ be putting it in there. Like I said, I plan to do it tactfully as possible, but it's just an idea that has been floating around in my head for a while, and is now impossible to include without making it a bloodline.

**Please be sure to read the A/N at the end! It has important information on the harem.**

Other than that, please enjoy, and of course, review. They are my lifeblood, and they make writing so much more rewarding.

I don't own Naruto, and I never will.

**----------------------------------------------------**

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"**

The bright ball of flame erupted from the target's mouth before speeding towards its intended target. In a flash, the ball of flame exploded on contact, obliterating the tree and the enemy behind it, and leaving a small crater for its efforts.

Out of the trees, six kunai flew at their target with pinpoint accuracy, each of them aiming for a disabling point on the body. With a flash, the target jumped back and went through a series of hand seals, shouting, **"Doton: Doruki Gaeshi no jutsu!"**

The target slammed his palms into the ground with enough force to make the earth reverberate under him, and just as the Kunai started to close in on him, a massive slab of earth flipped up from the ground, shielding the target from harm. The kunai popped out of existence as they hit the wall, and as quickly as it had flipped upwards, the wall fell back down with a resounding crash.

The target took a moment to scan the area around him, before jumping to the side as another enemy tried to make a surprise attack on him. Five other enemies made themselves known from around the brush, and all charged him head on. The target just smirked.

Performing another set of hand seals, the target pushed his hands out, palms forward, towards the enemies coming towards him and shouted, **"Fuuton: Daitoppa!"**

A great wind emerged from the target's hands, causing the enemies to pause and then be blown back by the strong wind that was coming from the target's jutsu. With a pop, the enemies disappeared one by one, having sustained too many injuries to stay corporeal. After a moment, the wind subsided, leaving a small amount of the forest surrounding the target slightly flattened.

The target glanced around him and then heaved a sigh. It was over. He trudged his way back into the clearing to be greeted by a smirking vixen who looked mildly amused. "Not bad at all. I suppose letting you learn those jutsu did come in handy, eh?" The target just gave her a scowl, though you couldn't see it behind his mask, and promptly sat down, resting for a moment before he invariably would be training again.

The vixen just smiled. "Get your rest while you can, Naruto. Sparring against your Kage Bunshin is one thing, but when you actually have to use it…" She trailed off for a moment before getting a pensive look on her face. "Well, you were a bit slow with the wall, and your hand seals definitely need to be faster. If this were a real combat situation, the enemy wouldn't have been so easy to locate and destroy. Seconds can make all the difference in the world." Naruto just nodded towards Kyuubi, taking her advice as he always did.

Kyuubi just nodded back and sat down next to him. She would be the first to admit that the boy was showing even more promise than anyone had even thought possible. In the space of just three days, he had learned three lower-level jutsu, and he was well on his way to being able to produce a completed **Rasengan**. The boy's chakra control had increased exponentially, and he had finally gotten the hang of medical chakra only the day before.

Mind you, he hadn't _mastered_ any of the jutsu…he was still a far cry from being able to fully utilize them to their greatest extent…nevertheless, she couldn't help but marvel at his tenacity and will to succeed. In the space of less than a week, he had gone from a loud, obnoxious idiot who was only barely qualified to be a ninja, to a calmer, smarter, more observant ninja who was showing everyone that he had _potential_ that was simply unmatched.

The day after the boy had met Hiashi, he had insisted that in his training, he be allowed to learn jutsu from the basement archives. At first, she had balked…she wanted to train his chakra control further than it had been, and she had also wanted him to work more on the chakra field manipulation…but he insisted that he was able to do them at the same time…and so far, he had proven to be correct.

The first jutsu he had learned had been the **Goukakyuu no Jutsu**…a simple fire jutsu that created a large ball of fire to completely obliterate anything in its path. It was a brute force jutsu at best, but it had its uses. It had taken him only a few hundred Bunshin, and a day of training for him to get the jutsu mostly down…it was fairly easy to learn, especially so when one had a strong affinity with fire.

The second jutsu had been the **Doruki Gaeshi no Jutsu**. It was very simple, and very effective. It basically forced a slab of earth to rise from the ground in front of you, protecting you from frontal attacks for as long as it stood. One had to keep channeling chakra into the slab to keep it upright, but as long as the chakra was there, the jutsu stayed active. It was an excellent defensive jutsu, and a great example of the main uses of the earth element. This one had taken a slightly longer time to master, due simply to the fact that one had to be able to exert a fair amount of physical force on the ground to activate the jutsu. This meant that his physical training had been intense, and he had only gotten the strength needed to perform the jutsu earlier that day.

The last jutsu he had learned had been the **Daitoppa**. It was a relatively simple wind technique…one simply performed the hand seals and forced chakra into their hands arbitrarily. There was no finesse or direction to the jutsu, simply a large blast of air directed in a cone in front of the user, flattening and cutting any thing in the way. It was a good short range offensive technique to use against masses of enemies or to defend against incoming projectiles that were too spread out for the **Doruki Gaeshi**.

Luckily enough, none of the lower-level jutsu had required any real knowledge of how to change one's chakra nature, as she had thought they would. The higher level jutsu obviously required a great knowledge of how to elementally manipulate one's chakra, but in the lower level jutsu, one was able to simply allow the hand seals to direct the conversion and flow of the elemental chakra, without having to consciously manipulate it. This limited their power and scope, but until Naruto was able to learn about the natures of chakra that he possessed, it was about all he could do.

His ability to manipulate medical chakra had only really come to fruition the day before. It had taken quite a few Bunshin, as well as much trial and error to finally activate the seal present on his stomach, but once he had, it came easily. The boy could produce medical chakra just as effortlessly as he produced regular chakra now, and all that was left was for him to learn much more about human anatomy than he currently did before he'd be able to heal a great deal of minor to moderate wounds. He was already able to heal small scratches and bruises, but considering that his healing factor kicked in and healed those faster than even he could, it wasn't really necessary.

His progress on the **Rasengan** and the chakra field had been rather good…but still frustratingly slow, for Naruto anyway. The Rasengan was proving to be a pain in the ass to mould, due to the fact that he always had Kyuubi's chakra interfering with his own. Kyuubi and Naruto both were currently thinking of a possible way to stop the interference that went on in his system to correct it, but until they did, the **Rasengan** would be just slightly out of his reach. Kyuubi smirked slightly. The very thing that gave him so much power, also gave him a glass ceiling in his chakra control efforts. She would have to make sure that they shattered it.

The chakra field on the other hand, had proved to be less of a hassle than the **Rasengan** was being. While he still hadn't mastered it, he _was_ able to use it just somewhat. He was able to keep objects floating in his chakra field for a few seconds before dropping them, and he was able to repel objects from him a small distance. It wasn't anything mind boggling by any stretch of the imagination, but it was certainly a start.

His body training had gone superbly. They had already gotten up to tying three large rocks to his waist, and the results were beginning to show. He was stronger, that was for sure, and because he was stronger, he was able to become faster. He still moved somewhat clumsily, but his body was much lither than it had been when he had originally learned how to move on the battlefield in the academy. She was sure that with a little extra training, he would become even faster and even stronger than he was now…and she was determined to improve his dexterity as well.

His progress with the book on seals was even showing fruit. He was beginning to at least _understand_ the premise of the seals he read about, and they had come to the decision that at _some_ point, they would visit the Konoha library to read up more about chakra and such things in general. Before he could truly learn much about seals, he would have to understand chakra storage and much more about chakra flow than he currently did. This would have the added bonus of giving him much more knowledge on how to create unique jutsu, assuming that he could start to understand more about _hand_ seals as well, which were covered briefly later on in the basic book he had been reading.

Unfortunately, missions with Naruto's 'team' had somewhat hampered his progress. The past three days had shown Naruto what it meant to be a Genin…and understandably, the boy wasn't particularly thrilled. In three days, they had captured the daimyo's wife's cat three times, painted a few fences, walked a dog or two, and 'escorted' a kindly old grandmother to the grocery store. These were jobs that should have been performed by academy students, not _ninja_…she understood that they were to promote teamwork, but surely there was a better use for Genin.

Luckily, they had been told by Naruto's sensei that they would have today 'off'…a codeword meaning that Kakashi had some meeting to attend, or mission to complete that they weren't allowed to come on or be part of. Even though Jounin instructors were supposed to be _instructors_, they were very much still _Jounin_. There were times when their particular skills were needed over and above their abilities as a simple instructor…there wasn't much they could do about it.

Naruto's relationship with his team was strained as well, especially with the pink haired one…Sakura, if she remembered correctly. Whereas only days before, she would yell at Naruto for simple infractions, she now just glared heatedly at his back when she thought no one was looking. Naruto noticed them rather well, feeling the weak and pathetic Ki that Sakura produced sometimes. It wasn't much, but after being the target of infinitesimal amounts of Ki all of his life, he was very much astute at picking it up.

It seemed as though she hadn't taken Naruto's little tirade to heart. Granted, Kyuubi had indeed thought that Naruto had gone slightly overboard…but everything he said had been _true_. Perhaps he had gone about it the wrong way, but that didn't dampen the fact that Sakura very much needed to hear what Naruto had said. The fact that he had been made to apologize probably dampened Sakura's perception of its seriousness. She sometimes wondered just what kind of an instructor Kakashi was to allow Sakura to stay as weak as she was…but she also understood that Kakashi had been entirely right when he said that the change had to come from _her_ as opposed to from some other source. Kyuubi grimaced…that meant that something external had to happen beyond her control to _force_ her to change, and that situation promised to be _unpleasant_, to say the least. Bad things happened to weak Kunoichi in the field.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had been strangely quiet…even for him. Kyuubi could have sworn that even on a few occasions, the boy was _stalking_ Naruto. Undoubtedly, he believed that Naruto had some secret to his 'miraculous' turn around, and he simply wanted to know what it was…undoubtedly to use for _himself_. Apparently, Naruto had nothing _against_ Sasuke, but their time in the ninja academy had not been entirely…pleasant. Naruto wasn't being arrogant, or at least he said he wasn't…but he simply didn't see a _need_ to develop any sort of relationship with his estranged kin. Of course, Kyuubi didn't believe this for a second.

Naruto was _avoiding_ Sasuke like the plague. He was absolutely unnerved by the prospect that _Sasuke_ of all people was related to him…not only that, but that he had the prospect of being good friends with him. It was a rather revolutionary change that he refused to embrace…at least yet. Kyuubi was sure that at some point, Naruto would simply be _forced_ to confront the issue…but apparently Naruto was avoiding that experience rather deftly.

Finally, Kyuubi's own 'training' was progressing decently as well. She was able to hold more of her own chakra than when she had first been summoned, and she was beginning to be able to manipulate it, at least somewhat. If she used too much, she risked de-summoning herself, and if she tried to use too little, nothing would happen. It was a bit of a risky proposition, so she used her chakra sparingly at best…so far, she had only used it to mimic certain things that Naruto was attempting to learn, such as the spin on the Rasengan, or water walking. She had not yet used enough to completely de-summon herself, but at some point, she would have to find her absolute limit.

She was broken from her musings as Naruto began to look at her almost impatiently, his way of telling her that he was ready to begin training again. She allowed herself a small smile. Given his progress the past few days…she had judged the boy was ready to learn _it_. He wouldn't be able to master it…but…he was ready. With a slight grunt, Kyuubi came to a standing position over Naruto and motioned him to follow her. He did so without question. Over the past few days, they had come to trust each other even more than they had before, and while they still got into the occasional fight or skirmish, it was nothing more than simple fun to them. When it came time to get serious, however, both parties were very much compliant.

Kyuubi leaned up against a nearby tree and crossed her arms over her ample chest. She motioned for Naruto to stand a distance from her, and then she sat down. "Naruto…I'm going to start to teach you the basis of the Ryuudou."

Naruto perked considerably, even though one couldn't see his face. His posture became straighter and his concentration was focused solely on her. He had been wondering when she would get around to teaching him about his sword style. With an imperceptible nod, Naruto signaled that he was listening and ready.

Kyuubi nodded back, her face set in a visage of seriousness. "The first thing I want you to do is forget that this is a form of Kenjutsu." Naruto gaped slightly at that, but dumbly nodded his head, pushing the sword part of 'The Flow' back into the recesses of his mind. He was immensely curious as to the reason for their departure from the Kenjutsu basis, but decided to wait until she was done to ask. She undoubtedly had a purpose in mind.

Kyuubi just sighed and leaned back against the tree, her expression unchanged. "I told you once that Ryuudou wasn't a sword style in the most literal form of the word, and I meant it. Ryuudou is based off of teaching one how to _move_. The sword portion is inconsequential until you have learned the ability to move within the flow itself. Incidentally, this part of it is also the hardest part to get down."

"There is a reason why I have been teaching you and focusing on your ability to mould chakra fields. It is part of the basis for movement within the flow. The ability to repel, the ability to attract, and the ability to create a barrier between yourself and everything around you…this is essential for being able to move correctly. You will now see why." Kyuubi stood up and closed her eyes, hoping that she had enough chakra in her 'body' to pull this off. She was only going to be able to show him once.

She concentrated chakra to her feet as one might do during the water walking exercise, and red chakra began to seep from them in a haphazard way before coalescing back into her feet and forming a red glow around the soles. She then focused her chakra to the rest of her body, tightening it, compressing it, and deploying it as one single field, one entity. A red glow bathed her features as she stood there, and after a few moments of concentration, she had a chakra field surrounding her entire body.

Naruto was simply amazed. Kyuubi could produce the chakra field! He stared transfixed by the almost ethereal glow she was exuding, before Kyuubi's eyes snapped open. At that moment, he began to understand what she meant by movement.

Kyuubi had disappeared from view more quickly than his eyes had been able to follow. There was no afterimage, no rustling of the leaves, no patted down grass to signify that anyone had even moved…it was as if she simply _wasn't there_. He began to swivel his head in an attempt to locate her among the foliage, before he felt a presence behind him and noticed his mask being deftly removed from his face in a quick silent motion.

Naruto was stunned. He hadn't felt her more than a half a second before the mask was simply _gone_. She had been moving so fast, so _silently_ that he hadn't even heard her approach, and he certainly hadn't seen it. He was stunned again when she just as suddenly _disappeared_ again, and a red glowing Kyuubi once again stood in her original spot as if she hadn't even moved, holding a plain white mask in her hand loosely.

Kyuubi smirked at seeing the absolutely astonished look on her pupil's face. His eyes were wide and his jaw hung loosely open. He scarcely even breathed.

"Wow…" Kyuubi outright giggled at that. It was nice to have such an effect on someone every once in a while.

"That, Naruto, is the flow. The complete ability to remove any restraints on your movements, while at the same time not leaving any evidence that you're moving at all. Silent and stealthy as an aquifer, quick as a rapids, strong as a waterfall and nimble as a freshwater stream. This is what you will be learning from me."

Naruto couldn't help but grin. He was going to be able to move like _that_…it was almost unreal. He estimated that she was possibly faster than even Kakashi-sensei while moving at that speed, and certainly quieter. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like when you added a sword into that equation…if possible, his grin got even wider.

Kyuubi just smirked. "Don't get all happy yet. It took me damned near thirty of your years to reach this level of proficiency. Even with your Kage Bunshin, this is going to take you a while. Besides, I haven't even explained to you _how_ to do what I just did." She motioned to Naruto to back up from her a bit, and he did so, his serious expression back again.

Kyuubi herself sat down against a tree and sighed. Moving like that had taken a lot out of her, but Naruto was already refilling her reserves again…she made a mental note to start training herself again. "Produce your chakra field and simply let it hang around you like a body glove." Naruto nodded and closed his eyes, performing the same process Kyuubi had; tightening his chakra, compressing it, and then deploying it outside of his body. It didn't give him the same tight glow that had surrounded Kyuubi, but it still gave him a rather ethereal blue hue.

Kyuubi couldn't help but grin. It wasn't perfect, but he had made incredible progress. "Now, I want you to focus chakra to your feet as though you were performing the water walking exercise. Use as much chakra as it takes to lift you up from the ground." Naruto just gave her a confused look for a second before he regained his concentration and did as she said. His blue chakra broiled around his feet in a haphazard manner for a few seconds, before it coalesced as Kyuubi's had done, albeit not nearly as controlled. His feet were hovering about an inch off the ground, and the amount of chakra he was exuding was quite sizable.

Kyuubi was mildly impressed. He had managed to actually get the chakra field and the levitation aspect down rather quickly. "Now, for the hard part." Naruto gave her a look that clearly showed irritation for a moment before he schooled himself.

Kyuubi grinned broadly. "You are to move from where you are, to where I am. The only stipulation is that under no circumstances are you to walk or run to me. You are not to move your legs at all."

Naruto nearly lost his concentration as he openly gaped at Kyuubi. She was expecting him to be able to move to where she was without using his legs at all?! How was he supposed to move to where she was sitting now without walking or running? Perhaps he could do a handstand and hand-walk over to her…

"Before you get any funny ideas, don't use your hands either. Your goal is to move from where you are without the use of your normal methods of locomotion. I've already shown you how to do it, and I've given you hints as well…but _you_ have to be the one to figure this out. It is the basis for the entire Ryuudou style, and until you are able to move without moving, you will never be able to go further." With that, Kyuubi got herself comfortable leaning on the tree she was propped up against and stared at Naruto expectantly.

Naruto was…confused. He was supposed to be able to move without moving at all…which in and of itself was a complete contradiction. With a start, he remembered something Kyuubi had told him about the Ryuudou when she had first explained it to him…

"_The nature of water, in and of itself, is the most versatile nature that any one element has. It can both create, and destroy. It can move silently and under the surface, or devastatingly, and with no regard for its surroundings. It can be as deep and unseen as an aquifer, or as obvious and torrential as rapids. It can flow around an object, wearing it down to nothing in a period of hundreds of years, or it can crash upon that object, and obliterate it within seconds. It is a contradiction unto itself, and yet it is the very basis for both life and death of any one living being upon this plane of existence."_

Realization dawned upon Naruto unexpectedly. He was becoming the nature of water…a contradiction. He was being expected to move without moving…another contradiction…and yet, while water was indeed a contradiction unto itself, it was also the most necessary thing to life on the planet. To move without movement…it is the most necessary thing to the entire Ryuudou style!

Kyuubi couldn't restrain a smile. Naruto's facial expressions were changing rapidly, before it looked as though something dawned on him. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated, and Kyuubi just waited for him to completely figure it out.

Naruto was deep in thought. How did one move without moving? What did the chakra field have to do with it, and what did levitating on his feet have to do with it? The chakra field was meant to repel and attract things…it could either push against something or pull it. The levitation aspect…he furrowed his brow. There was something he was missing…

And then it clicked.

Naruto concentrated more than he had in a long time, mustering up every last bit of chakra control and mental agility that he had. Slowly, methodically, he began to exert a pull on his field in the front, and a push on his back, repelling himself forward and pulling himself ahead. With an almost startled expression, he began to move.

Naruto's feet were gliding across the ground at a slow pace, never once moving a muscle. His chakra kept him completely off the ground, allowing him to be free from the friction that this would have caused otherwise. The chakra field did the same…it allowed him to glide effortlessly through the space between him and Kyuubi without so much as a breeze floating past him. The grass around his feet didn't move at all, and the brush surrounding him was completely unaffected by his movement, not even fluttering when he passed particularly close to a vine hanging off of a tree. It was as if he were creating no wake in his stead…

He realized with a start that he _wasn't_…he wasn't creating even the slightest amount of friction as he moved through the air…it was as if he wasn't moving at all, and yet, he was now floating at a relatively good pace towards the tree Kyuubi was propped against. There was nothing to give him away…no wake, no fluttering of the leaves, no stamping of the grass, no sound at all…it was as if he wasn't even _here_.

Kyuubi couldn't contain her wide smile. Naruto had gotten it, and in record time. He had figured it out _so_ much faster than she had anticipated…she realized with an even wider smile that one could not truly _anticipate_ Namikaze Naruto. It was just impossible.

Naruto was by now grinning from ear to ear. He floated up to about a foot in front of Kyuubi and finally let his control over the levitation and the field wane, putting him back down on the ground. With a deft swipe, he grabbed his mask from her hands again and put it on. Kyuubi just grinned at him and resisted the urge to hug the boy. He was really something else.

It had taken her almost a week before she had grasped the concept that her teacher had put before her…mostly due to the fact that Kyuubi had been tremendously set in her own ways. The chakra field, even the levitation had been relatively easy to get, but the concept of movement without movement had been a concept that she simply hadn't been able to wrap her mind around until she had forced herself to think _way_ outside of the 'box'. In a testament to Naruto's resilience and ability to think outside of the bounds of convention, he had gotten it within the space of just a few minutes. Kyuubi almost scowled. That brat had shown her up, again!

"Well, you figured it out a lot quicker than I thought you would…I'll give you that. You still need _a lot_ of work though. You were barely moving at a snails pace out there…until you can speed yourself up, it'll be useless in a fight." Kyuubi paused here for a moment seeing the somewhat disheartened face Naruto made. She just walked up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Nevertheless…you got the hardest part of learning Ryuudou down in a little under ten minutes. Now that you actually know what you're doing, this will go a lot faster. You exceeded my expectations yet again." She punctuated her sentence with a warm smile, and Naruto gave her one as well.

They stayed like that for a minute before Naruto's eyes widened and he blushed slightly under his mask. He quickly turned away from the Kyuubi, and Kyuubi realized at that same moment that they had been staring into each other's eyes. She was without the benefit of a mask, though, and her blush was seen to all.

Luckily, Naruto didn't comment on it. His stomach, however, decided to be heard loud and clear. With a groan, Kyuubi just shook her head at Naruto as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Kyuubi couldn't stay irritated however. She supposed that they _had_ skipped lunch.

Naruto gave his timepiece (A/N: Please just assume he has one) a check and noticed that it was about two thirty in the afternoon. Ichiraku would still be serving their lunch special.

As if sensing his intent, Kyuubi just smiled and nodded in resignation. The boy may have come a long way in a short time, but he _was_ still Naruto, after all. Ramen was still at the top of his food chain. "C'mon…consider it a treat for learning the hardest part of Ryuudou. I'd buy, but…" Kyuubi just grinned sheepishly and Naruto waved her off with a smile. They both trotted towards the house and washed up a bit before heading to the town's most prolific ramen stand, both in the highest spirits they'd been in for quite some time.

-------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke was currently in a bad mood.

Normally, such a revelation was not exactly _new_. Sasuke brooded more than anyone else in the village, and he himself accepted the fact that his image wasn't exactly one of exuberance and optimism. Contrary to popular belief, however, his mood wasn't usually sour…if anything, it was simply apathetic. For him to actually be in a _bad_ mood was rare for him, but it was _never_ a good thing.

Currently, the source of his ire was his blonde haired teammate, Naruto. The dobe _had not shown up_. He _always_ came here…without fail, one could find Uzumaki Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen for lunch almost every single day, and most of the time, one could find him here for dinner and breakfast as well. Ramen was one thing that Sasuke was _sure_ hadn't changed about the dobe, but he was beginning to wonder if perhaps he had been wrong.

The thought of 'change' and the dobe didn't exactly mesh with Sasuke. Naruto had always been a bit of an enigma to him, but he had at the very least been predictable to a fault. He wore orange, he was annoying, he chased after Sakura, and he was _addicted_ to Ramen. That much had been set in stone in his mind regarding Naruto, and now most, if not all of those preconceived notions were shattered and scattered to the wind.

He had ceased wearing orange, preferring a dark ensemble with _body armor_ of all things. He was no longer _nearly_ as annoying as he had been. He no longer had any infatuation with Sakura…if anything, he _disliked_ her with a passion. If these changes weren't enough, it seemed as though Ramen had been crossed off the list of things as well…the concept of the blond dobe changing _this much_ unnerved him.

Change, on the whole, was good. Sasuke recognized this much. Everyone changed, every_thing_ changed, and by these changes, things moved forward. The problem with this hypothesis was that Sasuke wasn't exactly a fan of having things change _this much_, especially when they involved him in any way. Change was the Uchiha massacre, change was him becoming an orphan, and change now dictated that one of the only absolute constants in Sasuke's life was now a variable…and a very radical variable at that.

It didn't take an absolute genius…which he was…to see that Naruto was changing in more than just appearance and even demeanor. He was getting physically stronger, quicker and even more agile than he used to be. He carried himself differently…with more confidence, more…the word that Sasuke was looking for seemed to escape him. It was an intangible…something that you noticed, yet couldn't really point out if asked. It was simply a _better_ Naruto that he had become.

Because of all of this, Sasuke was _tremendously_ curious. It was in his nature to want to simply _figure things out_, and he disliked with an absolute _passion_ not being 'in the loop', so to speak. Knowledge in and of itself was power, and without power, he could never achieve his goals.

Sasuke had originally come to this ramen stand for the express purpose of meeting the dobe and forcing information out of him. He would find out what exactly had happened, he would use this knowledge to his own benefit, and that would be the end of it. He didn't have any particular _interest_ in Naruto outside of simply being somewhat of a rival…and yes…somewhat of a friend…but his goals were to gain power, and whatever the dobe was doing, he was doing exactly that. He wanted that power. He would _have_ that power. Friendship or anything of the sort was a crutch on the way to that particular goal.

When he hadn't showed up, he had been irked, but when he had sat here for an hour, and then two hours…he had become increasingly _pissed_. Mind you, the proprietors of this stand didn't exactly mind his continued presence…having the 'last Uchiha' at one's establishment usually meant instant success, and this was no exception. Sasuke didn't much care about that, however. Even if they had asked him to leave, he would have sat here until midnight if necessary to find the dobe…and he was going to do just that. He would find out what made his 'rival' tick, even if he had to physically beat it out of him. Sasuke almost grinned. He might just do that _anyway_.

If Sasuke had been any more observant, he would have noticed that there was someone else at the same stand as he was, for roughly the same amount of time. Tenten had been sitting there for the better part of two hours waiting for Naruto to show up, and she too was becoming tremendously irked at having to wait _so long_ for him to show up. She, unlike Sasuke, had no illusions that the boy would not show up…she didn't quite know Naruto well enough to lose faith in him that quickly…but she did know that at some point, she would have to abandon the stand in favor of trying to actively find him.

Much to her chagrin, the day after her 'spying' session on Naruto, her team had been sent on a three day mission outside of the village. They had been tasked with the relatively simple duty of breaking up a bandit camp to the north of Konoha, and as usual, it had been a breeze. The camp hadn't housed more than fifty or so bandits, and four highly trained Ninja were more than a match for them. With Neji's abilities to kill or incapacitate with a single hit, Lee and Gai's abilities to simply _destroy_ things, and her ability of pinpoint accuracy with ranged support, they had made short work of the bandits, killing or seriously injuring most of them. Fortunately or not, she was, by now, used to killing. She had made her first kill almost six months ago, on the same mission that she had been forced to 'grow up' on…and after that, it had become easier. She certainly didn't _enjoy_ it, but she realized at least the necessity of it.

She had only gotten back from the mission earlier this morning, and while she was still somewhat exhausted from their trek back, she still had her _burning_ curiosity about Naruto in the back of her mind. It had eaten away at her almost constantly while she was away, and her curiosity had only increased during her absence. She knew that she simply _had_ to put it to rest, and the best way to do that was to get answers…as soon as she had them, she could put this whole thing behind her and be done with the boy. She didn't have any sort of vested interest in an actual friendship with him…or at least, she didn't admit as much to herself.

She had contemplated visiting his house again where she _knew_ that she could find him…but whenever she got close, she could feel an almost insane amount of chakra being emitted from the area that made her think that either someone was training, or that there was some sort of Genjutsu being used on the house itself…perhaps even both. Because of this, she had decided that the best place to meet him would be where he usually goes for lunch and dinner…Ichiraku ramen. She knew at least enough about Naruto to know that he had an unhealthy obsession with the simple food, and everyone knew that Ichiraku was _the_ place to go for Ramen in Konoha.

When lunch had rolled around, she had come to the stand expecting to find Naruto scarfing away at a few bowls of the stuff…but instead had found the 'last Uchiha' tepidly nibbling away at a bowl of ramen, seemingly lost in thought. She had shrugged it off and ordered her own bowl of the stuff, slowly shoving it down her gullet, not even registering the taste…her mind was entirely too preoccupied. After some time, she had completely forgotten about Sasuke and was simply waiting for Naruto to show up, lost in her own musings.

Both had stayed that way for the past two hours or so, lost in their thoughts on Naruto, nibbling away at Ramen, or when they finished that, just staring into space, not noticing anyone else that had come and gone from the stand at all. The owner and his daughter had been too preoccupied with customers to care about their two spaced-out customers at all, and they didn't begrudge them a seat…business was great with the last Uchiha at their stand, and the girl was simply too innocuous to really care about.

All parties were broken from their musings by the gentle wisp of air and the fluttering of the shop's eaves that signified someone had just entered the stand. As with everyone who had entered or exited the stand, Sasuke and Tenten both looked to see if it was the telltale blonde mop of hair that signified Naruto's entrance…and this time, it was.

Naruto sauntered up to the counter, plopping himself down unceremoniously and allowing his fox to uncurl from his neck to rest comfortably on the counter. "Oyaji, five bowls of Miso to start, please." Naruto began idly stroking his pet fox, getting the small animal to emit a small almost purring sound.

The proprietor looked confused for a moment before something akin to realization dawned on his weathered visage. "Naruto? Is that you? Wow…quite the makeover you've given yourself! Bet you're beating off the girls with a stick!" The old man gave him an almost lecherous stare before a particularly sturdy cast iron pan met his head, wielded by none other than the female part of the ramen duo that manned this particular establishment.

The girl, Ayame if Tenten remembered correctly, gave a slight smile that hid an even slighter blush to the blonde. "Don't mind dad, Naruto. He's a bit cranky lately, what with you not showing up. You _know_ that you're the only thing keeping this place afloat!" She seemed to almost look _sheepish_ for a moment before Naruto just chuckled slightly.

"Hai, Hai…I've been a bit busy lately. Training and all that. I've worked up a bit of an appetite today, though." It was his not so subtle hint that he was _hungry_.

Ayame seemed to get the hint in spades. "Oh! Right! I'll get started on those Miso for you…dad should be conscious in a few minutes." With that, the plain haired waitress skipped towards the back of the store, and before long, the old man joined her.

Naruto just continued to sit there, oblivious to the world, absently petting his fox seemingly without a care in the world. Apparently, this pissed Sasuke off.

"Oi…dobe…I've been waiting for you." Naruto simply swiveled his head in the direction of the raven haired angst machine and with an almost uncaring shrug, told him exactly how much he cared.

Naruto, apparently, knew _exactly_ how to piss him off.

"Don't just shrug at me! Where have you been? You _always_ come here for lunch…and it's what…almost two thirty in the afternoon! Don't tell me that you've lost your Ramen addiction too!" Naruto seemed almost stunned. Tenten too was just slightly awed…she'd never heard Uchiha Sasuke speak this much, especially not in _one sitting_.

Naruto's shoulders seemed to slump ever so slightly. "I had a hard training session that I didn't want to interrupt. Lunch was simply put off."

If anything, this infuriated Sasuke even more. "Training? Since when did _you_ train?" Naruto almost laughed outright.

"Since about a week ago…by the way, you're not the only one with a fire jutsu now." Naruto's tone was neutral, but it held just the _stirrings_ of a smug attitude.

Instead of being even more pissed, as Tenten had anticipated, Sasuke looked almost petrified. What little color existed in his face seemed to drain, and Sasuke's eyes widened until his eyebrows reached his forehead protector. "You…you learned a fire jutsu?"

Tenten was _sure_ that Naruto was smirking underneath his mask. "Yeah. I learned an earth and wind jutsu too…" Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Although, I'm not as good at them as I should be."

Sasuke seemed to almost be unconscious, if it weren't for the slight shake of his shoulders. "How…how…" Sasuke's tone was quiet and reserved, and it held only the slightest hints of awe and envy.

It didn't last long. With one deft movement, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his shirt and slammed him against the ground, earning him a growl from Naruto's pet fox, and a hand near Tenten's kunai pouch. "HOW! HOW ARE YOU LEARNING SO FAST?! HOW ARE YOU GETTING SO STRONG?!" Sasuke by now was shaking, and his eyes held almost unrestrained fury.

Naruto for his part seemed calm. "I train. I train _very_ hard. I train _every day_, and I train almost _all_ day. I don't have the benefit of being a born prodigy, as _you_ do." His tone was again neutral, but it held a cold, malicious tone that was hard to ignore. If Tenten didn't know any better, it also held traces of pity.

Sasuke seemed taken aback. With a deft movement, Sasuke released his hold on Naruto's shirt and stood shakily, staring down at Naruto through an impassive expression. All parties simply stared in silence for what seemed like minutes, before Sasuke closed his eyes, balled his fists, and then set himself into a determined visage. Whatever Tenten expected from his next words, however, she never expected to hear _this_.

"I will train with you." It obviously wasn't a question.

Tenten gaped, and if she could have seen behind Naruto's mask, she would have seen him gape as well. Truthfully, he had expected him to ask for a spar, or perhaps even to simply inflate his own ego at the expense of Naruto's own…he hadn't expected in a million years to hear Sasuke all but _demand_ to train with him.

Sasuke himself was barely suppressing the urge to simply storm out of the shop and never look back. It was obvious to him that whatever Naruto was doing was _beyond_ simple training…one didn't learn this much…one didn't get _this_ strong by simply _training_. There was something else. Sasuke _would_ find out what it was, and if that meant that he had to train with the dobe, so be it. His ego was not so great as to believe himself above using whatever methods available to him to get stronger.

The three Nin at the stand simply stared in a pregnant silence for a few _minutes_, before Naruto calmly brought himself to his feet and sat back down at the stool. It was almost another minute before he answered.

What an answer it was. With nigh a few seconds of warning, two Kage Bunshin popped into existence and promptly slammed Sasuke into the wall of the ramen stand, holding him aloft by his shoulders. Naruto simply continued to sit at the counter, seemingly oblivious.

"I will not be used, Sasuke. Not by you, of all people. Had you asked as a friend, as a rival, I might have considered it. As it is, you would simply be using me as a stepping stone on your puerile quest for power." Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and proceeded to take his mask off for the first taste of the ramen that Ayame had laid before him only seconds earlier. Tenten noted the slightly scared face on Ayame and she herself noticed that there was a palpable killing presence in the air.

After a few more seconds, Naruto gestured lazily with his right hand, and his two Kage Bunshin promptly disappeared. "Nevertheless…" He seemed to contemplate something for a moment as he took another taste of the ramen in front of him. After a while of silence, there was a palpable lowering of the killing intent in the air and Naruto emitted a deep sigh.

"I told Kakashi-sensei that I'd give you a chance. If you truly wish to train with me, show me that your quest for power is more than just to 'kill a certain man'. If you know what true power is, then come to my house tomorrow and we will train. If not…then you do not interest me as a friend or as a rival." Naruto just started lazily slurping at his ramen again, seemingly savoring the taste, oblivious to everything around him.

Everything was quiet for a few moments before there was a rush of wind, and a flapping of the eaves, signifying Sasuke's departure. Tenten just sat there, stunned into silence. Naruto was now even more of an enigma than before.

"Tenten, you're obviously here for the same reason he was, right?" His jovial tune broke her from her trance and she turned back to Naruto with a slightly more reserved posture.

She mentally collected herself, putting the episode with Sasuke out of her mind for the moment. "…Hai. I was just…not many people have the effect you had on my dad…I'm just…I'm curious, you know?" She figured that Naruto didn't much appreciate someone trying to beat around the bush.

Naruto just chuckled. "I understand completely. Unfortunately, I really can't answer any of your questions without breaking orders. I'm really very sorry." He sounded genuinely apologetic, although his face held just a bit of mischievousness that irked Tenten just slightly.

"…breaking orders? Wait, you're under orders not to tell me?" Tenten wondered just why she of all people would be singled out.

Naruto just chuckled again and shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I'm under orders not to tell _anyone_ other than those who have permission. Mind you, I can break these orders without getting into too much trouble, but…" He trailed off, as if trying to find the right words.

With a more somber expression, he went back to his ramen. "I really don't want to reveal anything about myself to anyone that I don't really know. People I can trust unconditionally, you know? I don't really know you well enough to…put you into that category...sorry." He took another slurp of ramen and waited for Tenten's response.

Tenten herself was…she didn't really know what to feel. On one hand, he was perfectly congenial to her, but he also didn't consider her a good enough friend to tell his secrets to. Tenten could almost sigh. If she had such classified information about _herself_, she supposed that she really wouldn't want to tell anyone who she didn't _know_ beyond a shadow of a doubt that she could trust. She had only really _known_ Naruto for less than a week…not near long enough to qualify as someone who he could trust unconditionally.

"I…understand. I suppose if I was in your shoes, I would do the same thing." She trailed off, trying to make a decision within herself.

On one hand, she could just leave Naruto as he was, and be just a passing acquaintance. On the other hand, she could make a real effort to get to know the boy better. He seemed to be a good person, and he was certainly a friend of her fathers…but on the other hand, she didn't have any real _vested_ interest in a friendship with him. With an almost pained smile, she realized that you rarely ever had a _vested_ interest in being someone's friend…friendship wasn't all about benefit and sacrifice, after all.

"I would like to…get to know you better, then. I'd like to become one of those friends." She hoped beyond hope that she wasn't just grasping in the dark…that Naruto wasn't trying to subtly tell her that he didn't want her as a close friend. She would have gone out on a limb for nothing, just to be rejected in the end.

Naruto seemed to start for a moment and his expression showed only thinly veiled surprise. Even the old man who ran the ramen shop looked surprised, and Ayame seemed to have an almost warm smile on her face. Tenten wondered about the reasons behind their expressions for a moment before she noticed Naruto had looked down at his ramen bowl and his pet fox was nudging his forehead with her nose.

Naruto was in turmoil. For as long as he had been alive, he had _never_ had someone say that to him…let alone someone his age. His closest 'friend' was Sasuke, and that was a testament to how pitiful his social life was. He had been a reject because of Kyuubi for all his life, and the concept of someone actually trying to be his friend…was she just playing with him? Was it just so she could learn his secrets and then have nothing to do with him? Would she hate him like everyone else did after she learned about Kyuubi? These thoughts and more were running rampant in his head as he stared blankly at the ramen bowl in front of him.

For her part, Kyuubi was desperately wishing for Naruto to take the girl up on her offer. Naruto was sorely lacking in social contacts, and it would do him a world of good to have a friend outside of a demon fox. She continued her ministrations on Naruto's forehead for a moment before his head raised slightly from the counter. Kyuubi noticed the schooled mask of impassivity on his face and silently hoped that he would do the right thing.

"…are you…do you…is this just because you want to learn my secrets? Do you genuinely want to be friends…or…" He had to know. If she was insincere about her motives, then he would have nothing to do with the girl.

Tenten just gaped at him for a moment, before she got a bit of a solemn look on her face. "If you would have asked me a few days ago…yeah, that would have been the reason. Now…" She decided that honesty was the better part of valor in this situation.

"Now, it's for more than just learning about your 'secrets'. You're a kind and mature kind of person…and I don't really have that many friends in the first place. A part of me is still tremendously curious about you…but even if you never told me your secrets, I think I'd still want to be your friend." She was being as honest with herself as she was with Naruto…and she was somewhat surprised at her own feelings.

Naruto's face remained a mask of impassivity for almost a minute before the shadow of a smile started to grow on his face. It grew into a genuine grin before too long, and Tenten was startled at the raw emotion that it showed. Sadness, happiness, desperation, fulfillment…that one smile showed more emotion than Tenten had ever seen in a smile before, and it caused Tenten to smile against her own will. It was contagious and therapeutic at the same time.

"Thanks for being honest with me…and…yeah…I think I can get to be friends with someone like you." His smile, if possible, widened further, and Tenten couldn't help but chuckle. The old man's face seemed to brighten considerably as well, and Ayame's face was now all but shining.

Before either one could say any more, Ayame squealed and pulled her fists up to her chin in a mask of childish amusement. "That was so _cute_ Naruto-kun! You two are just too cute with each other!" She almost had hearts in her eyes, and both Naruto and Tenten sweat-dropped at her antics. It was rather effective in lightening the mood, however.

"Right then! A free bowl of ramen for Naruto and his new friend!" Naruto brightened considerably at this and gave the old man a megawatt smile. Tenten gave her own trademark smirk and humbly dug into her new ramen bowl with her smile never leaving her face. She couldn't help but feel better…she had a friend her own age again, and she didn't even have to join the fan girl clique! After all, it's not like Naruto would ever get a fan club like Neji or that Uchiha kid, right?

She didn't know how much those words would come back to haunt her.

-----------------------------------------------------------

He would know. He _had_ to know. If only he could find him…

Sasuke leaped onto another rooftop and glanced around him before taking off again. After the ramen 'incident', he knew of only one person that he could sort this out with. The person that Naruto had mentioned…the person that asked Naruto _specifically_ to give him a chance. Kakashi-sensei.

Sasuke's mind was a raging maelstrom of thoughts, emotions and conflicts. His two halves were battling for supremacy, each trying to overwhelm him and take over his persona.

On the one hand, there was the Sasuke that he was now…brooding, aloof, _separate_ from everyone else. He held emotions in check, and he had only one goal. He would achieve that goal at the cost of _anything_, and he would not bow to a soul in the process. That was the Sasuke that everyone saw.

On the other hand, there was the Sasuke that he kept in check behind the mask. The Sasuke that was never shown to the world…emotional, caring, and desperate for contact and a shoulder to cry on to let his troubles go. This was the Sasuke that embraced his own emotions as a means of escape, and as a means of garnering attention and pity. This was the Sasuke that _desperately_ wanted to have Naruto as a friend…and more than ever, this Sasuke wanted to know what made Naruto tick…not for any pursuit of power, but for the healing that he could bestow upon him.

Naruto was the only person Sasuke knew that had the ability to _cope_. Naruto had been alone all of his life…he was hated for reasons that Sasuke couldn't fathom…and more than that, he _persevered_. Through all of his life, the blonde dobe had simply trudged through, breaking whatever boundaries had been put on him, and then going further. He had been able to weather the shitiness of life thus far, and he was now _thriving_ upon life in general. It was as though the limiters on his life had suddenly vanished into thin air.

And thus, Sasuke felt empathy, and even a bit of hope, that he _too_ could learn this. He wanted to know how to cope, how to deal with life, and how to break through the barriers that held him not only from his goals, but from _enjoying_ life to its fullest. If Naruto could find a way, then perhaps Sasuke could too…perhaps he didn't have to live as he was…

Sasuke was broken from his internal monologue as he spotted the telltale mop of silver hair that signified his sensei. With a deft leap, he landed at the pervert's side and caught his breath for a moment before getting Kakashi's attention.

Or rather, Kakashi getting _his_ attention. "So, had a conversation with Naruto, did you?" Sasuke gaped at him for a moment before nodding dumbly. Somehow, his sensei had been able to sense his intent without even asking. Sasuke filed that tidbit of information away for a later date.

Kakashi just sighed. "I figured it would come to this." Kakashi, for once, put his book away, and laid his hand on Sasuke' shoulder. With a slightly nauseating sensation, he found himself somehow at the team seven bridge, with no one but himself and Kakashi around. He came to the conclusion that he had just been the 'victim' of a teleportation jutsu.

He saw Kakashi leaning against the bridge rail and he motioned for Sasuke to do the same. They stood in a bated silence for a few minutes before Kakashi took the initiative.

"I'm sure you must have a lot of questions…and to be honest, I'm not really at liberty to give you the answers…" Sasuke scowled at this. "But…what I can tell you…is that Naruto is…" Kakashi trailed off and got an almost far away look in his one visible eye.

"Naruto is as damaged as you are." Sasuke gaped for a moment before managing to school his expression once again. He understood that Naruto had problems, but…damaged? What exactly did he mean by that? He also somewhat resented the implication that he was _damaged_.

Kakashi sighed and looked down. "He's had…a hard life. Half of the things that have happened to him, I simply can't tell you, because they're classified. He's been beaten, spit on, and hated to the point of irrationality…he even…" Kakashi had a hard look in his eye and Sasuke couldn't help but gulp.

"He believes that no one knows…but…when Naruto was younger, he attempted to commit suicide. He was unsuccessful…but…" Kakashi's one eye grew even more saddened.

Sasuke was stunned. The little ball of sunshine and fluff had tried to commit _suicide_? He had suffered enough that he had wanted to end it all? Sasuke was no stranger to _that_ particular emotion. He had, on several occasions, attempted the same thing…he had failed, miserably so…but he supposed it was something to be expected when one had such a horrible childhood as he and Naruto had.

Kakashi simply stared at the water below the bridge, seemingly lost in thought. "You two…you're alike in so many ways. More than you can possibly fathom. If anyone can help you…if anyone can help _him_…" Kakashi trailed off, leaving the end of the sentence unfinished, but very clear. He believed that Naruto and Sasuke needed each other. Sasuke wasn't inclined to disagree or agree…and that scared him slightly. Normally, he'd outright dismiss such a thing…but now…

"Why…why are you telling me all this?" Sasuke genuinely wondered why exactly it was that Kakashi saw fit to tell him such personal things about someone that by all rights, he had _no_ rights to actually know about.

Kakashi just kept his expression pensive. "If I don't tell you this, do you really think you would even consider being his friend? You're not the type to do something without a good reason." Sasuke almost cringed. Kakashi had him pegged as someone that didn't do something without there being a palpable benefit to _him_…the sad part of it was that he was mostly right.

Sasuke just stared at the water with a schooled mask of impassivity on his visage…but inside, it was even more tumultuous than he had been before. His impassive and aloof persona was starting to _lose_. The Sasuke that wanted, _craved_ a friend was clawing away at the mental barriers that Sasuke had erected around himself, and for once, Sasuke wanted to be able to be friends with the one person who could possibly ever understand him.

Sasuke had but one question to ask. "Naruto…he said something about 'true power'…he said I had to find out what it was…" He hadn't phrased it as a question, but it was still interpreted as such. Kakashi just glanced his way and fixed him with the most powerful and serious gaze that he had ever been subjected to.

"True power…Sasuke…" Kakashi turned fully and stood up straight. "Think of the greatest heroes that this village has ever produced. Think of the most powerful men and women that you can…and tell me, what was their source of power? What gave them the strength to do what they did?" Kakashi crossed his arms and fixed Sasuke with a powerful stare, and Sasuke began his mental acrobatics to figure out what his sensei was alluding to.

Right off the bat, the greatest example he could think of was the Yondaime Hokage. The man had single handedly defeated the most powerful demon in existence, through giving his own life. He had willingly sacrificed it all, simply so that his village could survive. He had _cared_ for the village…more than his duty, it was his _pride_ to do so, or at least, that's what the history lessons Iruka had drilled into him had said.

He thought back on the other history lessons that Iruka had given him, finally finding a use for them. There was the Shodaime…a wood element user, and probably the most powerful Shinobi of his time. Supposedly, he single handedly created the forest that Konoha resides in. He had cared for his people _so much_ that he had literally turned sand into paradise. He had moved heaven and earth so that his people could have a home.

The Nidaime…not much history was ever taught about him, but what little there was hinted at the fact that he was one of the sole reasons that Konoha had survived the second great ninja war. He had supposedly even fought with a tremendously powerful opponent at what was now the valley of the end…and won. It was said that both the Shodaime and Nidaime gave their lives for the sake of the village in the end…because they cared for its people.

The Sandaime…known as the professor. He had a permanent place among the greatest ninja ever to live. He supposedly knew every single jutsu, aside from bloodline types, that Konoha had ever produced, and supposedly, he was unrivaled by any except his own students. Even at an age when he should, by all standards, be retired, he still kept at his job, caring enough for his village to work himself ragged, even as old as he was.

The legendary Sannin…probably the three most powerful ninja alive, and easily the three most powerful ninja ever to be produced by Konoha, aside from the Yondaime himself. Each had played a crucial role in the third great ninja war, and through their efforts, Konoha was able to persevere where other villages fell. Each had their own reason for fighting…but aside from the traitor Orochimaru, who was undoubtedly the weakest of the three, the Sannin had each preached the values of protection and defense. They had people to protect and a village to serve, and they had done it without fail, aside from the aforementioned traitor snake.

Sasuke realized that throughout all of the ninja's he had thought of, there was only one reoccurring theme. Each of them gained their power through the ability to serve their village, and to protect those within its walls. They had gained more power than any before them, and truly, it was the basis for all that Konoha stood for. Konoha was probably the only major Ninja village that actually held value on its Shinobi's lives…and probably the only village that held civilians as more important than Shinobi, at least in terms of priorities. Unlike other villages, Konoha evacuated the civilians into tunnels and passage ways that no other village could boast…and unlike other villages, collateral damage that involved civilians was a rare occurrence.

Konoha Shinobi remained _human_. They gained power through their bonds with others…and they gained power from being able to _believe_ in their village.

Immediately in Sasuke's mind, however, was the image of his brother. Itachi was ruthless…cold…uncaring. He held no bonds to his village, and he held no attachments to anyone at all…and yet he had been strong enough to wipe out an entire clan of ninja in the space of one night. He hadn't _believed_ in his village at all…nor had he gained strength through his bonds.

However, Itachi wasn't nearly as powerful as the heroes he had thought of prior to his ministrations of his brother. Would Itachi have been able to kill the Kyuubi? Could Itachi hold his own against one of the Sannin? Moreover, would Itachi have been able to take on the current Hokage if he had been pressed to on the night of his clan's death?

The answer was a resounding, 'no'. Itachi was powerful…tremendously so…but his power had come at the cost of his own humanity, and it had also come at the cost of a glass ceiling. Without his humanity, Itachi's growth probably stopped…he had nothing to gain power _for_…and thus, he simply allowed himself to rely on the power of his accursed Sharingan.

Itachi severed his bonds and broke his attachments, and yet he was not powerful enough because of it to take on those who still _had_ those bonds and attachments. He was still powerful…but…

Bonds and attachments didn't weaken you. They gave you a purpose to _live_. They gave you the all encompassing ability to remain _human_…and in doing so, you gained strength through it. You could still have your dreams, no matter how anti-social or messed up they were…but as long as you had people to rely on, and friends to gain strength for, you would achieve those dreams. You didn't gain power by believing in the dream; you gained power by making friends and living life along the way. The dreams were secondary.

Naruto…his dream…he thought back to what Naruto had said his dream was when they had first assembled as a team…

"_My dream is to make this village see just exactly who I am, one way…or another."_

He wanted acknowledgement, either by fear, or by camaraderie…but he wanted people to acknowledge that he even existed. That was his dream. Obviously, to accomplish this dream, he needed to become powerful…but if people didn't acknowledge you anyway, why even bother? If you became powerful, but had nothing to do with that power because you had no one to fight for…what was the point?

Sasuke realized with a start that Naruto _did_ have people to fight for. He had seen how congenial and friendly Naruto had acted with the ramen shop owners, and he even treated Kakashi with respect and just a touch of familiarity. Naruto's relationship with the Hokage was obviously a deep one…they referred to each other in the most familiar of terms, at least, they had when they had gone to him to get their missions. Naruto also…or rather, he _had_…thought of Sasuke as one of those people as well. He had as much said that they were friends, and Sasuke had gone and fucked that up. Now…Sasuke didn't know _what_ Naruto thought of him.

Naruto was a different person around the people he trusted and liked. He was congenial, unreserved, and shades of the old Naruto emerged. Around those he _disliked_, the new Naruto reared its head fully. His new demeanor was cold, calculating, aloof…everything that Sasuke was…and like Sasuke, he had a different side to him that he didn't show to hardly anyone.

"_You two…you're alike in so many ways. More than you can possibly imagine. If anyone can help you…if anyone can help him…"_

Sasuke allowed himself a small smile. It wasn't unsalvageable. Naruto could…and would…be Sasuke's friend again. He couldn't have come all this way, realized all of this…only to have the only person that could help him…the only person that needed _his_ help…turn him away. Sasuke wouldn't allow it.

True power was being able to fight for, and help those who you considered precious. That is how the greatest of Shinobi in Konoha history had gained power. That is how people _continued_ to gain power after they had hit their 'natural' limits. That is how the Sandaime was still able to be the Hokage, and why the village of Konoha was undisputedly the most powerful village in the elemental countries.

That is how he would defeat Itachi. That was his _difference_ between him and his brother.

He was about to respond to Kakashi when one last thought entered his head and caused him to frown.

"_You too can gain the Mangekyou Sharingan…but to activate it…you must kill your closest friend. Once you have these eyes, you may face me."_

Sasuke nearly lost his hope at remembering his brother's words to him. The Mangekyou. The highest possible level of the Sharingan eye…only attainable through the killing of one's best friend. The only way that Itachi had said that Sasuke could defeat him.

And yet, even with the Mangekyou, Itachi still would not be able to defeat the Sannin, the Hokage, or any of the other great Shinobi that Konoha boasted. The Mangekyou was a great power…but it was not the _height_ of power. He resolved himself once again to gain power in his own way…through finding those to protect, through finding friends…through living.

"True power…is friends…and those who you wish to protect." Sasuke found it hard to actually get the words out, but once they came, it became easier for him to wrap his mind around the concept.

For his part, Kakashi was stunned. The boy had been silent for almost five full minutes…and his expression had gone from dark to cheerful to pensive…it had spanned a great range of emotions, but through it all, he had maintained tightly balled fists. Kakashi had been sure that his anger towards his brother would cloud his judgment too much…that his ministrations were of his brother, and not of how to actually gain the power he wanted and craved. For once, Kakashi was glad to be proven wrong.

Kakashi smiled at the boy and only barely contained his urge to ruffle the boy's hair. Revelation or not, Sasuke was still Sasuke.

"Congratulations. You've taken your first steps towards becoming a great Shinobi." Kakashi gave Sasuke an eye smile and Sasuke, surprisingly, smiled back, even if just barely.

Kakashi's gaze quickly became serious once again. "Naruto…is not the most trusting person. It takes quite a bit for him to actually count you among his true friends…but once you have proven to him that you're serious about being a friend to him…" Kakashi nearly chuckled.

"He's easily the greatest ally you could ever hope for. He's loyal to a fault, and would gladly die to protect you. Don't take advantage of that." Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled out his book once again, turning around and walking the opposite direction from Sasuke.

"I have no doubts that if you are honest with Naruto…you two will become the best of friends. It's up to you to see to it that you don't mess up." With that parting shot, Kakashi poofed out of existence, and Sasuke was left leaning on the railing, staring down at the babbling brook.

Sasuke nearly smiled. He felt freer than he had since…since _that day_. He had a better reason for life, and he had a better way of gaining power. If he played his cards right, he would also have a good friend.

Sasuke chuckled and began to walk in the general direction of Naruto's apartment, before he stopped cold.

"_If you know what true power is, then come to my **house** tomorrow and we will train." _

Sasuke nearly cursed in frustration. The dobe lived in a _house_ now?

With a shout of frustration, Sasuke began to run in the general direction of the village once more, aiming to find someone, _anyone_ who knew where the blonde haired enigma of his team lived. His patented scowl once again adorned his face. Of course, Naruto _would_ have to make this hard, wouldn't he?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Now _this_ was a house.

Tenten stared at the décor of Naruto's home, marveling at the planning and thought that went into its design. She had never seen anything so _inviting_ before in her life.

The house was obviously well built, and it was _large_…but unlike something like the Hyuuga compound or even the Hokage's mansion, Naruto's home maintained the feel of being a _home_…an inviting hearth that gave you a sense of protection and belonging. The warm colors and flowing design made it seem almost soporific at times, and even though she had just been given a cursory tour, she could tell that whoever had owned this house previously had been able to pull off a minimalist approach to design, while still maintaining a warm and calm atmosphere.

Shortly after having finished their belated lunch at Ichiraku ramen, Naruto had suggested that Tenten come to his house for a tour. At first, Tenten had wanted to decline…mostly due to the fact that she felt she would be imposing. It soon became clear, however, that Naruto wasn't one to take no for an answer. They had made their way to his house in relative silence, broken only by comments here and there about the weather and other such trivialities of life.

When they had arrived, Naruto had given her a cursory tour of the house, including the patio roof and the onsen. Tenten had been impressed, and she was _still_ impressed. What's more, she had almost lost her breath at seeing the view from the patio roof over his back yard and the rest of Konoha. It was an awe inspiring view, and it gave an almost panoramic view of the entire village that Tenten had burned into her memory. She wasn't exactly sure when she would be able to experience something like that again.

Currently, she was sitting in the main living room while Naruto got them a beverage. His pet fox had chosen to rest on her lap while she lounged on the couch, and she was absentmindedly petting it softly through the fox's contented purrs. She didn't have the mental concentration to wonder just why a _fox_ was purring

Luckily enough for her, Naruto came back in carrying tea, and not Sake. She had imbibed Sake before…but she wasn't exactly a fan of the stuff. If she was going to drink alcohol at all, she preferred wines or even scotches to Sake, but she never really had a chance to drink _with_ anyone, and therefore, she didn't drink very often at all. Especially not with her team. Rock Lee was an absolute terror when he had alcohol…something about being a drunken fist master…she hadn't quite understood Gai's rather 'unique' explanation.

Naruto set the tray down on the coffee table and took his own seat at a perpendicular angle to Tenten's own. He was now out of his body armor, and sans mask, and Tenten had to wonder just what kept this boy from garnering the attention of almost every female in the town. He was obviously attractive, in an almost animalistic…_feral_ sort of way…his face was hard and mature, but with an almost boyish charm to it.

She allowed herself to study Naruto thoroughly for a moment, and had to fight down a blush. He was _definitely_ attractive. He was both mature and young at the same time…he had a feral look to him that just _screamed_ animalistic behavior…not unlike an Inuzuka…but he certainly didn't _act_ that way. He had deep black eyes and untamable dark blonde hair, as well as those three dark black cleft whisker marks on each cheek that only added to his feral appearance. He was tall and broad shouldered for his age, but not so much that he looked like a brute. His musculature was long and sinewy, and yet held bulk at the same time. All of this was covered by a dark tan that gave him an air of…something…that Tenten couldn't exactly place.

Tenten was fighting with herself not to regain her previous 'fan girl' ways. She had left them behind with Neji…and even though Naruto was _easily_ more attractive than Neji was, she was _still_ a Kunoichi. She had a duty to herself before anything else, and becoming some cling-on to another boy was _not_ doing herself a favor in that category.

That didn't mean that she couldn't flirt a bit though, right?

"You're hot, you know that right?" Tenten almost hit herself in the forehead with the butt end of her kunai…she had forgotten that when it came to boys, she didn't ever think before she spoke.

Naruto just blinked at her a few times before he smiled just slightly. "I've noticed that I get a lot of stares and glances from the female population of Konoha now…quite a bit more than I ever used to…I guess I am, huh?" Naruto just grinned and scratched the back of his head. Tenten repressed a groan.

"You're not supposed to _agree_ with me…you're supposed to be gracious and modest and say, 'I am? I never knew…do you really think so?' or something like that!" Tenten fumed for a moment before she realized that Naruto had an almost grimace on his face. She immediately got somewhat serious.

Naruto just looked down for a moment before he took a sip of his tea and stared at the fireplace. "I don't have many…social skills…to be honest. Since I was an orphan and all, I didn't really ever get the chance to learn the proper way of interacting with others. That's one of the reasons why I was so loud and obnoxious before…that was all I really knew how to do. It kept people from ever really pressing me to try to talk to them normally…something that I just really couldn't do, and still can't." Naruto took another sip of tea and glanced at Tenten, who by now had a pitying look on her face.

"I'm…sorry. I didn't know." Naruto just quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Don't be. Like you said, you didn't know, so why be sorry? You wanted to learn more about me, right? Well, you're learning, aren't you?" Naruto gave her a megawatt grin and Tenten again found herself unable to resist her own smile that popped up on her face unbidden. Tenten had a passing thought run through her head, and her smile turned almost mischievous.

"Well, that just means that I'll have to teach you! You certainly need someone to show you the ropes, and since we're friends and all, I'll take it upon myself to teach you how to be sociable!" She almost sounded like Gai or Lee at that moment, and she almost cringed at the thought of being _anything_ like those two.

Naruto just stared at her for a moment before he raised an eyebrow in almost confusion. "_Teach_ me? How can you _teach_ someone to be sociable? Isn't it a learned trait from life experiences or some such thing? You can't exactly make a class like 'Social Interaction 101'…if they could, I'm sure Iruka would have taught it in the academy." Tenten had to suppress a sigh and a giggle at the same time. He was _almost_ naïve.

"You're right…you learn how to interact with others through life experiences and the such…you can't exactly _teach_ someone, but you can sure as hell learn from their example, right?" Naruto seemed to understand that almost instantly, and he set his tea cup down on the table.

"I see…so I watch _you_ interact with others, and by example, I figure out how to socialize? Sounds easy enough. That's basically how I learned how to act polite and stuff in the first place…I'd watch Iruka or Oji-san talking with important people and try to imitate what they were doing." Naruto nodded slightly as if agreeing with himself before he picked up his tea cup again.

Tenten just nodded as well. Naruto had picked that up rather well, considering his perceptive abilities were a bit lacking due to his equally as lacking social skills. She got her mind working on ideas as to how to socialize Naruto properly.

Naruto stood up and collected their now empty teacups before he scurried into the kitchen and then came back out dressed once again in full battle attire. "Well, I still have some time left before it gets dark…I'm going to go train for a bit. You're welcome to stick around and watch me…" Naruto trailed off for a moment as if distracted.

'**_Uh…have you forgotten me? Unless you want her to know all about me and what we do, I suggest that you ask her to leave.'_** Kyuubi gave Naruto a somewhat serious glare in her fox form, and Tenten noticed that Naruto seemed to be staring at the fox intently.

Naruto thought for a moment and then sighed. "On second thought…my training is a bit of a secret in and of itself. I can't allow anyone to see it. I'm sorry." His tone was truly apologetic and Tenten didn't feel nearly as put out as she thought she would.

Instead, she simply gave him a small smile and nodded. "I understand. If you ever need anything, just let me know, ok?" Tenten stood up and set the fox down on the floor before she got up and followed Naruto to the door. He opened it and held it open like a gentleman should, once again making Tenten wonder just how much 'social' training Naruto actually had.

She paused in the doorway, a slightly curious look on her face as she gazed towards where the Hyuuga compound lay. "Uh…Naruto-kun…were you expecting company?" She wasn't sure, but she was pretty sure that was a Hyuuga making his way towards the house.

Naruto seemed perplexed for a moment before he moved out the door to get a better vantage point. Sure enough, coming down the road was what looked to be a Hyuuga in the typical pale beige clothing that marked the Hyuuga as a clan. Naruto frowned in confusion for a moment before he remembered that he had an open dinner 'invitation' for this week with the Hyuuga head, Hiashi. He nearly scowled. It wasn't so much an invitation as an order.

"I suspect that's a messenger from Hiashi-san. I have an…_invitation_ for dinner this week with him. It seems as though that 'invitation' is for tonight." Tenten just stared at Naruto for a moment before nodding dumbly.

Tenten knew that _invitations_ to the Hyuuga compound were all but orders. They _expected_ you to come, and if you didn't they'd send everything short of the entire branch house to make sure you _did_. It was always in the best interests of the person being invited to take them up on it as soon as possible.

This wasn't exactly what was on her mind, however. She was more stunned by the fact that _Naruto_ had an invitation to dine with _the_ Hyuuga Hiashi…head of the entire Hyuuga clan and quite possibly the second most powerful person in the village. How _Naruto_ managed to get an open dinner invitation with him was beyond her current powers of speculation. Moreover…was that…Neji?!

True to what Tenten thought she saw, the telltale form of Neji made itself clear the closer he got to the house, and Tenten couldn't help but gape. Hyuuga Hiashi had sent the son of the _head_…or rather, _former_ head of the branch house to officially _invite_ Naruto to dinner. The concept boggled her mind, but it seemed as though Naruto either didn't understand, or didn't care about the importance of the situation.

After a few more moments, Neji was now within speaking distance, and he gave a cursory bow to Naruto as he glanced at Tenten only sparingly. "Naruto-sama, Hiashi-sama requests your presence for dinner this night. He would be most pleased if you could make it." Tenten's jaw dropped. Naruto-_sama_? Neji _never_ called _anyone_ except for a _few_ people from the main house, and of course, the Hokage, 'sama'. That Naruto was now part of that very slim fraternity made her almost crazy with curiosity.

Naruto seemed to be resigned to his fate. "You may tell Hiashi-san that I'll be there." Neji nodded taciturnly and gave another cursory bow to Naruto before he nodded his head only slightly in Tenten's direction and began to walk off towards the compound again in the same stiff and formal posture that all Hyuuga maintained. Tenten saw Naruto's shoulders droop slightly, and he let out a shuddering sigh.

"Well, there goes a fair portion of my training time. I only have a few hours before they start dinner…" He sighed again. "I guess I'll just work on…er…I'll work on non-demanding things." Naruto almost hit himself on the forehead. It wouldn't do for him to suddenly start talking exactly about what he was working on. Telling people what jutsu he knew was fine, but telling someone about 'The Flow' or about his particular brand of chakra training would be…detrimental.

Tenten seemed to shaker herself from her daze and once again nodded dumbly to Naruto. "I understand. I'll get out of your hair…drop by the shop again sometime!" Tenten gave Naruto her best impression of a 'Naruto' grin and bounded off, leaving Naruto with a genuine smile on his face.

Kyuubi, now in human form, ushered Naruto in and just smiled at him. "See? I told you having friends wouldn't be a bad thing." She was nearly smirking.

Naruto just gave her a disarming smile that made her gape at him. It was a smile full of happiness, sadness and every other emotion the boy was feeling at the moment. "For once, Kyuubi…" He plopped himself down on the recliner and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'm glad I was wrong."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke could almost feel it.

Every time he came here, to his parents gravesite, it was as if he could feel his parents around him…there was no Itachi, there was no clan massacre, there was just him and his parents and silence. It was probably the only place Sasuke had left where he could find true solace.

After searching for Kakashi, or Iruka, or that bun-haired girl…or _anyone_ he knew that knew where Naruto lived, he had given up the search and just resigned himself to meeting the dobe…_Naruto_ he reminded himself…the next day at the training ground. He would surely show up, and he could then begin the arduous task of becoming the blonde's friend.

Sasuke smiled. If anyone would have asked him even a few hours ago if he considered Naruto a friend, he would have sneered at them and went on his way. Now…he sincerely hoped that soon, he would be able to answer in the affirmative. Sasuke almost chuckled. It seemed as though he was pulling off the same 'miraculous' transformation that the dobe had…except…in reverse to his.

Balance. That's what they would give each other. Sasuke's nature would be offset by Naruto's and vice versa. Ying and yang, dark and light…hopefully, they would become nigh family to one another. Sasuke wasn't so stuck up to believe that family was simply blood bonds.

They both needed family. Naruto had never had one, and Sasuke had lost his in a gruesome manner. They were both tragic examples of human nature and both of them held in sadness and grief that they refused to show outwardly. The more Sasuke thought about it, the more he realized just how true Kakashi's words were. They truly were so much alike…it was almost frightening.

Sasuke blew out the incense that burned at the small shrine above his parent's graves and offered a small prayer, before he walked off towards his home. He sported a small, genuine smile. He was sure this is what his parents would have wanted. He would live his life, free of regrets, and when the time came, he _would_ kill Itachi…but by his own power, not Itachi's brand thereof. He didn't have to follow in his brother's footsteps.

He'd just find a new brother.

-----------------------------------------------

As Naruto let the water cascade down his now less-aching body, he contemplated just how hard learning Ryuudou was going to be.

For the past three hours, Naruto had been training, for the first time, _with_ his sword, _within_ the Ryuudou. He had been forced by Kyuubi to maintain his chakra field and levitation, while at the same time drawing his sword and getting into a relaxed Kenjutsu stance. He then performed what everyone who learned swordsmanship learned before anything else. How to properly swing the damn thing.

This, of course, entailed about 2 and a half hours of swinging his sword downward, upward, right, left, diagonally and finally, in a sweeping motion, all the while maintaining his hold on the field. Kyuubi said that it was to build muscle memory, as well as to get him used to holding the field…but Naruto quietly thought that Kyuubi was simply letting out her inner sadist.

Either way, it seemed to have done the job. While Kyuubi hadn't allowed him to use Kage Bunshin for the exercise…she said that that since it was physical, they wouldn't help…he had still managed to make rather good progress. The sword actually felt right in his hands, and if Kyuubi told him to slash in a diagonal pattern and then sweep horizontally, he was sure he could do it rather easily and without actually having to think about it too much. Muscle memory indeed.

Apparently, training in the Ryuudou was to be his new physical exercise. While his Bunshin were now free to learn jutsu, control and other such things, he would now be learning the physical aspects of the Ryuudou, as well as getting used to actual movements within The Flow itself. This, Naruto was sure, was going to be the hardest to get used to.

Moving within The Flow…was…he wasn't exactly sure how to phrase it. It was as if you were encapsulated in your own little pocket of existence, free from the bounds of movement that the regular world threw at you. Kyuubi explained it as simply taking the limiters off of regular human movement…negating air friction, negating ground friction…for all intents and purposes, making you completely and totally _smooth_. If you ran into a tree, you would simply flow around that tree…the field would repel it and allow you to simply glide to the other side around it, exactly like water. If you jumped, you wouldn't have to come down until you wanted to, or you ran out of chakra…whichever came first, not unlike a waterfall, in a sense. Kyuubi hadn't exactly said that he would be able to _fly_, but then again, she hadn't outright denied it either.

She had also said that it would take _years_ of training to reach anything near an expert's proficiency in The Flow. While he would undoubtedly get the hang of it, and probably get to an intermediate level…which she assured him was still very powerful…she had also said that it would then take even _more_ time to reach mastery. She wasn't even contemplating that he would be able to master it within the next twenty years, and she thought that it would be at least his late teens before he actually reached an expert level. Naruto had of course scoffed at her lack of faith in him, but even he was logical enough to see that this would take _time_ to learn…it simply couldn't be helped.

On the bright side, his Kage Bunshin could now be devoted almost entirely to the pursuit of chakra control, jutsu mastery, and something that Naruto had taken a new interest in…Hand seals.

Naruto had found a rather interesting book in the basement that dealt almost exclusively with theory and practice behind hand sealing. Seeing as how Kyuubi knew nothing of the entirely _human_ practice, it was up to him to learn, and to a certain extent, teach Kyuubi what they were all about. What he had learned thus far was more than enough to get him completely interested in the entire practice.

Hand sealing was the basis for all jutsu that human beings used…well, almost all jutsu. Hand sealing controlled the direction, flow, strength and overall purpose of chakra within the body, allowing for certain jutsu to be used in a certain way. For an example, Naruto thought of the Daitoppa…the hand seals for that jutsu controlled the conversion of his chakra to wind chakra, it controlled the general speed of the chakra, and it controlled the shape. It was up to the user to be able to supply the necessary chakra for the jutsu itself, as well as focus enough on the jutsu for it to be activated. In the higher level jutsu, the conversion had to be performed by the user themselves…the hand seals covered the more complex issues of speed, shape and amount.

This lead Naruto to conclude that if he were able to truly learn what hand seals did, how they did it, and which hand seals did what, that he would be able to create completely new jutsu at some point. Not only that, but he may very well be able to enhance existing ones, or streamline certain chakra actions. When it came to hand seals, the possibilities were nigh endless.

Naruto finished his shower and dried off, dressing in the closest facsimile to 'dress clothes' as he had available to him. It consisted of a red traditional male kimono and a black obi, both of which were entirely too large for him. With some creative folding and some clothing tacks he found, he was able to get it to fit his smaller frame, but he imagined that at some point, he needed to go clothes shopping again.

Strapping his kunai holster to the inside of his thigh…hiding it as well as he could…and tying his forehead protector around his neck, he made his way out the front door, leaving Kyuubi in human form to snooze on the couch. Dinner at the Hyuuga's was certainly going to be an…interesting…experience.

------------------------------------------------------

Hyuuga Hinata was nervous.

This was not unusual. Hinata was nervous almost _all_ the time, and especially so when it involved her father, her sister, or family functions in any way. She was downright _scared_ of her father, and she knew that her sister didn't exactly see her in a positive light…even though she was cordial and polite to her most of the time.

This time, it was a dinner to host a 'family friend' as her father had put it. She had no clue as to who the guest was…her father had refrained from telling _anyone_…but she had no doubts that it was probably some far away dignitary that knew her father through some distant relation…or some such thing. Family dinners like this often were held for pompous and arrogant 'important people' from around the fire country, and sometimes even _out_ of the fire country. Hinata was expected to be present for them as a matter of courtesy, and her sister was there just because she was her sister.

The also served the unenviable position of being the token eye-candy for anyone who would visit. She knew that her father disliked that particular aspect of their 'job', but he had no real choice in the matter. It was simply the way of noble families. She almost had to suppress a shudder…she couldn't count on both hands and feet the number of times a visiting dignitary had leered at her or her sister lecherously, and she had been forced to simply smile and blush as a good little female should. It was one of the few things that served to actually piss her off.

She could even recall one time where a dignitary had had the audacity to ask her father, rather drunkenly, if he could 'spend the night' with 'the one with tits and her sister'…the sight hadn't been pretty. The dignitary hadn't been important enough to be patient with at that point, and Hiashi had nearly Jyuukened the man to death. As it was, he had been rushed to the hospital with multiple tenketsu being completely destroyed, and Hiashi had nearly charged the hospital in an attempt to liquefy the man's brain. Hinata almost smiled at that. Her father may not be the most kind and caring man in the world, but no one could say that he wasn't protective of his daughters.

This time, however, Hinata was almost curious. Her father was strangely…happy. He had a spring in his step that she hadn't seen for quite some time, and he hadn't scolded her for being weak all day. In fact, it seemed as though her father was almost _anticipating_ the dinner, and the last time that had happened was when they had hosted the Hokage himself…that had been years ago, though.

She was broken from her thoughts as to who the mystery guest could be as a branch house member knocked on the door to their eating area and announced that 'He' was here. Hiashi's face lit up, causing both sisters to look at each other with confused expressions, before Hiashi told the guard to let him in and show him to the dining room. The guard acknowledged and whisked himself away, only to reappear a few minutes later with another, shorter shadow standing to his left.

The door swung open to reveal the guard and his guest, and with a deep bow, the guest gave his respects to Hiashi and made his way to the last opening available, giving Hinata and Hanabi their first unobstructed views of the mystery man.

He was taller than Hinata by at least four inches, and taller than Hanabi by almost a full foot. His bright yet darker blonde hair flowed almost like fur on his head, and three dark whisker marks adorned each cheek. His dark black eyes accentuated his tanned skin, and his red kimono, although obviously too large for him, gave him an aura of almost authority. He sat down in the traditional manner and bowed his head towards Hanabi and Hinata, before giving a small smile to Hiashi.

Hiashi _grinned_, making Hanabi almost shudder…but Hinata was strangely quiet. Hanabi looked over to her sister to find her face flush red and her hands clutching her own kimono rather tightly. Before she could ask just what was wrong, Hiashi spoke.

"It's good that you could make it, Naruto-san. I believe you already know my daughter Hinata, but allow me to introduce you to Hanabi, my youngest." Naruto turned to Hanabi and gave another cursory head bow, noticing that Hanabi returned it somewhat confused. Naruto then turned to Hinata and gave a bright and glowing smile that almost made _Hanabi_ blush.

"Hi, Hinata! You remember me from the academy, right?" Naruto just continued to smile as Hinata looked on towards Naruto.

Before she fainted.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Yay! Finished at last. I introduced Hinata only cursorily, but I figure that I'll develop her a bit more later on.

**I'm sure of only a few people in the harem, but I WILL confirm them here. Note that I reserve the right to add more later on, but these _will_ be in the Harem, I guarantee it.**

Naruto / Kyuubi / Tenten / FemHaku.

Over and above that, I'm still weighing my options, but we'll see. As I said, I reserve the right to add more later on. On another note, I'd very much like to thank Islagatt for helping me with some Japanese words, as well as helping me in general with a few things that…well…I needed help on :D. Again, if you haven't read his work, I'd recommend doing so.

As always, I look forward to the next chapter, and I'll try to get it out a bit sooner than this one :).


	7. Towards the Sun, a Shadow Remains

Phew!

Welcome to chapter seven. Just a few things, yet again.

One…for the sake of this fiction, we will assume that the age of 'adulthood' occurs at twenty…this is apparently the age in which it occurs in Japan, so that's what I'm using. Secondly, the age of consent in Japan is apparently thirteen…we'll deal with that when the time comes.

Thirdly…sorry for taking so long! What with the power outage, and various other things, this one took a while to get out there. Sorry about that!

The Harem is finalized. The final list is at the bottom.

Also…I'm sorry if Sasuke comes off as OOC. I'm really trying not to write him as such, but…meh.

In Soviet Konoha, Naruto owns **_you_**!

--------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------

_The wind rustled the sakura petals as the now shirtless Naruto approached her with lust in his eyes. His body glistened with sweat, and his scent screamed an untamed lust that made her knees quiver with anticipation._

"_Hinata…I want you…I need you…right now…" He pushed her to the ground forcefully and gazed into her eyes, unspoken words passing between them in the space of seconds._

_She smiled back at him and undid her obi, revealing herself to be completely nude for him underneath. She blushed under his hungry stare. "I know, Naruto-kun…I came prepared. I am yours and only yours…tonight…and forever…" She arched her back, giving him an unobstructed view of her assets, and he plunged into her mouth with a ferocious kiss, his hands reaching down to…_

"Hinata!"

Hinata shot awake at hearing her name so forcefully called, and began to take in her surroundings as her ninja training kicked in.

She was in her family's private dining chamber, surrounded by her father, her sister, and…

Blood rushed to her cheeks and…elsewhere…at seeing Naruto's face so close to her own. Images of her delusional dream came flooding back into her mind…and her face, if possible, became redder than it had been before. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and rocked back on his haunches as her father carefully rose her to a kneeling/sitting position on the soft kneeling mat.

Hanabi was carefully giggling at her sister's predicament while Hiashi had a pensively concerned look on his face, as his own thoughts churned rather tumultuously. Why had Hinata reacted so forcefully to Naruto's presence? Moreover, why did she have an almost perpetual blush, and why did she throw continuous furtive glances at Naruto before she violently righted her eyes back to her downward gaze? Hiashi racked his brain trying to find the proper explanation for such behavior…

Naruto on the other hand was only partially oblivious. His experiences over the past few days regarding the glances of the female population of Konoha, as well as Tenten's assertion that he was 'hot', had given him a slight insight into the mind of a female that he was now using to explain Hinata's lapse of consciousness.

She had fainted when he entered the room, not before. She had visibly tensed, and she had blushed so hard that Naruto had thought her a strawberry. Over and above that, she had muttered "Naruto-kun…" a few times in her semi-comatose state, although no one had heard it other than him apparently. She had almost _refused_ to look at him after she came to, and her blush, if anything, had only deepened since her reawakening. All signs led to one conclusion.

Hinata was a pervert.

There was no other _logical_ explanation in Naruto's head…he had seen various forms of perversion in his relatively short life…especially during his 'researching' sessions for the 'Sexy no Jutsu'…and when someone blushed and fainted when looking at someone, it was because they were thinking all too perverted thoughts about that person.

He unconsciously filed that tidbit of data away in his 'do not open until puberty' folder, and decided that despite her perversion, she was still a good person.

"Ne, Hinata, are you ok now?" He decided that Hiashi didn't necessarily need to know that his daughter was a pervert.

Hinata just blushed and nodded her head faintly, still refusing to look up from the ground. Hiashi and Hanabi, by this time, had gone back to their own positions, although they were both shooting confused, and in Hanabi's case, amused glances in her direction.

Hiashi was the first to regain a semblance of his _regal_ composure. "Seeing as how Hinata is feeling better, I believe we can resume?" It was voiced as a question, but Naruto was sure that it didn't really matter what he cared.

True to what Naruto thought, without even a second passing, Hiashi nodded to an unseen servant waiting just outside the door, and nothing short of a small feast was carted into their dining area.

He was floored by the raw _amount_ of food that was brought in. For a four person dinner affair, the food that was served to them was probably enough to satiate a party of ten, and not leave any room for desert. Naruto sent an almost amazed and somewhat disbelieving glance in Hiashi's direction, but if the man recognized it, he didn't seem to show it outwardly.

On the inside however, Hiashi was positively _beaming_. He was already making a good impression on the boy, and if the night continued as he hoped, all parties would have exactly what they needed by the end. Hiashi almost smirked. He hoped Minato was thanking him for this.

After the servants got done carting in the food, they all voiced a polite and dignified 'Itadakimasu', before they all dug in.

Or rather, Naruto dug in. The three Hyuuga that were part of the meal were _nobles_, and as such, had a more _regal_ and _dainty_ way of eating that involved complex utensils and formality. Naruto knew of no such thing, and even if he had…it's doubtful he would have cared. He was simply piling food onto his plate at an accelerated rate, and once his plate couldn't hold much more, he began his impromptu feast in earnest.

Hinata was slightly more reserved, and her thoughts were going a mile a minute. Why on earth would her father invite _Naruto_ over for a family dinner, a _formal_ one at that? Moreover, if Naruto had been the one to cause Hiashi's sudden and terrifying mood change, what about him would warrant such a thing?

Hinata prided herself on being the foremost knowledgeable expert on all things Naruto…she had all but stalked the boy for years. She knew his likes, his dislikes, his weaknesses, his dream, what time he normally woke up, what time he normally went to bed…she knew a plethora of information on Naruto that no one else knew, and now, all of this was effectively rendered _null_ by the fact that he was now, somehow, _nobility_.

This revelation was due to the fact that Hiashi _very_ rarely invited someone for a family dinner unless they were one of two things; a ninja in high standing within the village, or nobility of some sort. Unless the person in question met those criteria, they were considered all but worthless to the Hyuuga head, and seeing as how Naruto was only barely a Genin, he had to be nobility for her father to even consider him for such an _honor_.

Even if Naruto, somehow, wasn't nobility, he _would_ be after this. If Hiashi acknowledged someone like this, then, by default, they _became_ as such. He usually would acknowledge people by simply word of mouth, or by extending an invitation for the person to attend a semi-private party…never before had her father invited someone to such a private and esteemed event as a _family dinner_ to simply acknowledge them…if Naruto somehow _wasn't_ nobility, then this was simply stunning…and unprecedented…and it would be all over the village by the next day…and she would have rivals…

Hinata nearly fainted again at the thought. The whole reason that Uchiha Sasuke was such a 'heartthrob' among the village's female population was due to three basic factors. One, he was an Uchiha…nobility of the highest order, second only to the Hyuuga…or at least, they _were_. Secondly, he was obviously a 'pretty boy', as far as the definition went. Even Hinata would admit that much. Thirdly, Sasuke was a tragic figure, shrouded in mystery and pain…and such a thing only heightened interest in him.

After this, Naruto would fit at least two…maybe even all three of those criteria. He would be acknowledged in the _highest_ way by the _head_ of the Hyuuga clan…he was undeniably good looking, especially with his somehow transformed visage and unexplained growth spurt…and he was a mystery to almost everyone…this mystery would be heightened even _further_ by the fact that he would have been acknowledged by her father…and no one would know why.

Naruto would have a _fan club_…probably one that rivaled Sasuke's in size. The boy would be beating them off with a stick…she would no longer be the lone girl in the shadows, watching her prince and waiting for the right moment, she would simply be another fan girl, and one _without_ the benefit of being brash and 'look at me!'. Hinata, if possible, paled to a shade of white that no Hyuuga had ever before paled to. She would _lose her chance_.

Then again, there was the possibility that she was overreacting horribly. Naruto, for reasons that she _still_ didn't know, was ignored…disliked…_hated_ by the greater majority of the village. Those few that _did_ accept him were few and far between, even if they _were_ some of the most powerful people in the village. In fact, Hinata had noticed that the greater majority of the ninja population of Konoha respected the boy almost without exception. The civilian population, on the other hand, detested him. She had tried for _years_ to figure out why, and she never could.

This lead to the very reason why she loved the boy so fervently. He was _everything_ that she was _not_. He had braved horrible adversity in his life, and had taken it all with a smile and a brash uncaring attitude that had all but _shouted_ confidence in himself. Even after everything that he had endured, he had come out on top…or bottom as it were. He simply hadn't let any of it get to him.

Hinata had faced adversity as well…or at least, she liked to think she had. Her father had been cold and uncaring towards here since her mother's death, and her family viewed her with thinly veiled contempt due to the fact that by Hyuuga standards, she was _weak_. Her utilization of the Hyuuga's signature Jyuuken style was sub-par as compared to even her younger sister, and her demeanor was certainly not what a typical Hyuuga sported. She was quiet, demure, kind…according to her family, a Hyuuga was supposed to be superior and strong and _mean_ most of the time…it was supposedly to strike fear into your enemies hearts or some such thing.

What made this all worse was the fact that she was the _heir_ to the entire Hyuuga clan. While other children in the clan had the ability to be at least _somewhat_ outside the norm of regular Hyuuga conduct, she was expected to be the very _picture_ of it. That she was almost the exact _opposite_ did _not_ help. Instead of being interested in Jyuuken, she was interested in medical techniques, salves, and creams. Instead of striking fear into her enemies hearts, she was ridiculed almost constantly and it had become a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts…they said she was weak, which destroyed her self-confidence, which in turn, made her weaker.

She had let it get to her. That was the difference. Instead of persevering and coming out on the other side with a smile, she had been pushed under. She was a broken little girl who needed a self-confidence boost…and she found such a thing in Naruto almost exclusively. Whenever she saw him, she would immediately become shy, but she could also feel a confidence that she wouldn't feel at any other time. The boy was, for all intents and purposes, her entire reason for how strong she _was_…even if it wasn't _that_ strong. She didn't even want to imagine how weak she would be without a figure like Naruto to idolize.

What made her even more self-depreciatingly morose was the fact that this was the absolute _perfect_ opportunity in which to confess her feelings for the boy…and yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Obviously, her father liked the boy, so that was no longer an issue…it didn't much matter that Hanabi was here, as she was still in her 'boys are icky' phase, at least to a certain extent…and Naruto was obviously in a good mood. The situation couldn't be more perfect if she had written it in some sort of fictional piece of writing…it was _perfect_.

The thought almost made her lose all hope of gaining Naruto's admiration, respect, or…dare she think it…love. It was her dream at night and her thought at waking…it was her goal while awake. Her entire existence revolved, at least in some way, around Naruto. It was almost sad…and yet…she wouldn't have it any other way. Then why…why was she hesitating? Why was she simply sitting here like an idiot, poking at her food and staring at the floor, when she could be **_shouting_** at Naruto about her love and admiration for him?

Tears threatened to well up in her eyes, but she pushed them back forcefully. Her father…her sister…**_Naruto_** would not see her cry.

Hiashi, at that moment, had an epiphany.

He recognized exactly where he had recognized those stares, glances and blushes before. It was painfully obvious…but it hadn't registered until he had finally admitted to himself that Hinata was almost exactly like her mother in personality.

Hinata's mother had done the exact same thing while she was trying to court him.

Hiashi could just _barely_ restrain the smile that threatened to break out on his face. This situation…it couldn't _be_ more perfect. One of his problems was almost instantaneously solved.

"Naruto…if I may ask…" He paused to allow the boy to clear his mouth before Naruto turned towards him with a semblance of a formal façade.

"What do you think of my daughter, Hinata?" Hiashi saw Naruto's eyes widen only slightly before they once again returned to match his impassive visage.

Hinata on the other hand wasn't so lucky. She choked on a piece of food that she had been chewing and only barely managed to get it down before she sputtered incoherently towards her father.

"Father! He…I…Naruto-kun…he…you…" Hinata didn't seem to be able to form a cogent thought, much less a coherent sentence at that point. Hiashi was almost surprised that she was still conscious.

Naruto on the other hand dealt with it much more easily. "I know that she's a kind and caring person…but…to be honest Hiashi-san…I don't know her all that well." He said the last part sheepishly as though apologizing for not getting to know Hinata, when he obviously had no real need to…up until now.

Hiashi just smiled ever so slightly, which scared Hanabi and even Hinata to no end. "Well, Naruto…how would you like to get to know her better?" He phrased his words carefully, so as not to imply _anything_, and yet say _everything_.

Naruto seemed to be shrewder than he let on. "As a friend, or are you angling for something?" Naruto by now had a slightly serious look on his face and Hiashi, even though he was peeved, had to give the boy some credit. He had picked up on it rather well…damn.

"Oh, of course, as a friend. I would never dream to make any decisions of _that_ nature for Hinata without her explicit agreement." Hiashi said it with as much indignation as possible, but if Naruto was swayed by it, he certainly didn't show it. Hiashi was more than mildly impressed.

Naruto sat there for a moment before an only slight smile graced his face. Hiashi's own smile fell off his face…he didn't like that smile. He _really_ didn't like that smile.

"I would love to get to know Hinata, Hiashi-san. However, it is completely up to her if she wants to get to know _me_. You know of my…condition. Her reputation, and your own, would suffer for having me involved with you, wouldn't it?" He had said it all with as much of a straight face as possible, but there was an almost imperceptible smile on his face as he said it.

Hinata and Hanabi both looked at Naruto and Hiashi with a curious and confused visage, but both kept silent. They knew better than to ask questions during one of their father's 'diplomacy' sessions…and even though Hinata was absolutely _voracious_ to learn what exactly he was referring to, she used every bit of willpower she had to force herself to remain a statue.

Hiashi suppressed a curse. He hadn't expected Naruto to play the 'Kyuubi' card so early. He certainly should have…it was the greatest trump card anyone in the village had, bar none. He forced his mind to churn up a response, and he almost smiled. If he wanted to play that game, Hiashi would _play_.

"Oh, I know of your condition rather well, Naruto. If I was that concerned about my reputation, I wouldn't have invited you over here…besides…wouldn't her and my reputation be all the more prolific if we were associated with your _father_?" Hiashi had to suppress a downright _grin_ at seeing Naruto's face of panic. If the Kyuubi was a trump card, knowledge of his ancestry was an _ace_.

If possible, Hinata and Hanabi both piqued even more. This was becoming almost too much to bear, and it took every last possible shred of willpower that Hinata possessed not to blurt out her obvious questions in the middle of her father's diplomatic pursuits.

Naruto took a few moments to compose himself before he turned his now completely serious gaze on Hiashi. Hiashi schooled himself as well. They were playing for keeps now.

"Perhaps…but you know as well as I do that that knowledge cannot be made public, Hiashi-_san_." Naruto emphasized the 'san' rather forcefully, letting Hiashi know just how close he was treading to dangerous territory. Hiashi once again suppressed a grin. The boy had fallen for it.

"Oh, I wouldn't _dream_ of making such information public…yet. However, I believe your reputation would be strengthened should you become powerful enough to allow that information to be made public…your reputation would only be increased if you happened to be tied to the Hyuuga at the time…" He let the implication that he too would gain clout unvoiced, even though it was painfully obvious.

Naruto almost cursed. Hiashi was trying to maneuver him into some sort of relationship with Hinata against her wishes. He simply decided that while diplomacy wasn't his forte, bluntness certainly wasn't Hiashi's.

"I'm not going into any kind of arranged anything with Hinata against her wishes. Period." Naruto almost cringed when Hiashi positively _grinned_. Hanabi literally curled up into herself and if possible, Hinata paled even further.

Hiashi was absolutely beside himself. Naruto had played right into his hand. "Against her wishes? I assure you Naruto, such a thing is very much her _greatest_ wish. Am I not correct, Hinata?" Hiashi swallowed a lump in his throat. If Hinata was indecisive now…he nearly cursed. If this relied on Hinata to be decisive, he had just made a grievous tactical error.

To absolutely everyone's surprise, Hinata didn't stutter, nor did she pass out. In fact, she didn't _say_ anything. Her head was nodding furiously and her eyes were as wide as saucers. Hiashi could nearly hug the girl, if it wasn't improper.

The expressions that Hiashi found on Naruto's face, however, were priceless. He went from surprised, to doubtful, and then back to surprised, and then something that Hiashi couldn't readily identify…something between guarded hope and veiled enlightenment. From years of diplomacy, Hiashi was _good_ at picking out what facial expressions meant.

Hiashi did feel a little guilty…he was playing to the boy's weaknesses and his need for friendship…but this was something that _needed_ to be done. If he could get Naruto and Hinata together…he almost smiled at the possibilities. It would be good for both the Hyuuga and the Namikaze…or at least, the last Namikaze left.

Naruto's own thoughts were thrown into chaos the second that Hinata actually nodded her _consent_ to Hiashi's insane…or he _thought_ insane…ramblings. He had been under the impression that Hinata would _not_ want something like this, and truthfully, he didn't want the girl to be saddled with anything to do with _him_. She looked like she was under enough pressure as it was, and being a friend of his was something that would certainly put even more pressure on her. He wouldn't even entertain the thought that he would take some sort of arranged marriage or something. He would be her friend…if it developed into something more, so be it.

He sighed. This was becoming all too complicated. "Hiashi-san…if Hinata agrees to it, then I agree to it. However…" He looked at Hiashi with his best impression of a piercing gaze. He didn't know just how effective it was.

Hiashi noticed the small amount of Ki that Naruto was producing through his stare and almost shivered. It wasn't any normal Ki…the boy had access to the Ki of the Kyuubi, that much was sure. "Your definition of 'it' and my definition thereof differ." Hiashi simply looked at him confused, but he had an idea of where this was going.

Naruto just sighed and glanced at Hinata out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that the girl was again finding something terribly interesting about the floor. He nearly cringed. The girl had the self confidence of a gnat. His first duty as her friend would be to get rid of that particular weakness.

"I agree to be her friend, no more. Hell, I would have agreed to that without all of this verbal meandering we seemed to do. Whether it progresses past that, as per _your_ intentions…" He let that hang for a moment watching Hiashi's eyebrow twitch just once. "…is a matter that is decided between me and Hinata…and with all due respect…we're _twelve_." Naruto noted the at least agreeable face that Hiashi had and noticed with a cocked eyebrow that Hinata seemed to be happier than she had been a second ago. Naruto was beginning to get the picture of what exactly was going on here.

Naruto sighed. "Hinata…did you…do you…have a crush on me?" Naruto was just now sifting through his mental archives of the few memories he had of the girl, and realized that he simply couldn't have recognized it earlier. It wasn't for lack of the girl trying…it had more to do with the fact that he simply had no concept of someone actually _liking_ him as opposed to either ignoring him or hating his guts. He hadn't been able to readily identify just what was going on without a _nudge_ from an outside source…in this case, her father.

Hinata's eyes widened once more, and after a few moments, she gave an almost imperceptible nod. Naruto just smiled slightly. He supposed that it _was_ nice to know that someone actually liked him.

Hinata on the other hand was an emotional wreck. She had been just about ready to give up on her quest for Naruto, and truthfully, give up on being a ninja…and then from the most unlikely source of them all, her father, she had gone from that particular depressed state to now being Naruto's newest friend…and she wasn't sure if she should be ecstatic about it, or if she was sad that Naruto had to be forced into it.

Her mind apparently wasn't hers to make up. "Heh, sorry about not noticing sooner. I guess I'm not the most socially perceptive person around, eh?" He scratched the back of his neck in typical Naruto fashion and he gave Hinata his patented 'foxy grin'. Hinata promptly forgot her troubles.

Because she fainted.

-------------------------------------------------

Naruto slid the door open and walked out of the room as Hanabi and a random servant were doting over Hinata's unconscious and furiously blushing form. Hiashi followed soon after and after a slight staring contest, they walked to Hiashi's 'office'…which was naught more than a blank white room with a small traditional style desk in the middle.

Moments after Hinata had fainted, Hiashi had called for the servant waiting just outside the door and motioned for Naruto to follow him. It had given both parties an opening to speak in a more private setting, and Naruto was more than happy to oblige. He had some…questions…for the man. It wouldn't do to ask them in such a setting as they had been in.

Hiashi poured himself and Naruto a small saucer of Sake and pushed his saucer over to him. Both took a sip before Hiashi sighed and simply looked up with an impassive gaze. "I am sorry to have to have done something like that with her present…however I had to make sure I had her consent…I _had_ planned on carefully maneuvering her during the meeting, but apparently, she had a crush on you even before all of this." Hiashi almost had a smug look on his face and Naruto just scowled.

"You know as well as I do that I'm not one for 'diplomacy', Hiashi." Hiashi just smirked and nodded once while Naruto shot him a tremendously annoyed glare. After a few more moments, Naruto sighed and took a sip of his sake before he composed himself.

"Why? What do you gain out of this…more specifically, what do _I_ gain out of this?" Naruto hated being in the dark, and he most certainly was not the one with the upper hand in this situation.

Hiashi fixed his gaze on Naruto and let forth a resigned sigh. "I suppose I should give you a bit of back-story first. In the laws of Konoha, it is stated that if someone from a family not on the council is ever elected as Hokage, then that family is automatically _given_ a seat on the council, regardless of their family standing. In your case, since your father was Hokage, you rightfully inherit a seat on the council." Naruto's eyes were wide as saucers at this admission, and he barely restrained his urge to grin like a madman. If he had a seat on the council…never again would they be able to endanger his life, nor would they be able to arbitrarily try to execute him. Not only that, but he would have _power_. The village would _definitely_ recognize him, either through fearing him, or loving him. He didn't much care which.

Hiashi just held up his hand. "It's not that easy, however. For one to be on the council, they must meet certain criteria. Firstly, they must be old enough to be considered 'adult' in the eyes of the law…or, in lieu of that, they must be married. Secondly, if the person is below that age, even if they are married, they must have a…I suppose you could call it a 'sponsor' on the council to vouch for them. Thirdly…and you already meet this criteria…if their family is on the council due to the Hokage-election rules, the member that sits on the council _must_ be a ninja, no exceptions." Naruto seemed more subdued than he had been, and he looked as though he had a tremendously pensive look on his face.

Hiashi just smiled before taking another sip of his sake. "You are not of adult age, nor are you married. Even if you were married, you would need a sponsor…which in this case, would be me. You are already a ninja. In effect, you fulfill two of the four criteria to sit on the village council; however, you must fulfill all four to gain your seat. That is why I was attempting to…arrange…something between yourself and Hinata." Naruto just nodded his head, as if he had already figured that much out.

"I understand that much rather easily…however, to properly take my seat, I would need to reveal myself to be my father's son…which I really cannot do until I become stronger than I am. You know just as well as I do the types of enemies my father had, _especially_ on the council." Hiashi just nodded and set down his sake saucer before fixing Naruto with a tremendously serious gaze.

"That is precisely why I invited you to tonight's dinner. Once news has spread of a private dinner with '_the_' Hyuuga head, you will begin to be considered nigh nobility in the eyes of most of the village…or at least, those who are able to look past the Kyuubi. This is merely the first step in getting you, and the village, ready." Naruto's eyes widened in comprehension and a slight smile formed itself on his lips. He had to give it to Hiashi…the man had experience. He was doing something that would effectively start the process of the village _not_ hating him by a simple dinner.

Hiashi just returned Naruto's smirk with his own. "You see now. Good. Through the next few years, your reputation will grow within the village as 'Naruto'. This means that by the time you really are strong enough to reveal your family name, the village as a whole will not hate you nearly as much as they do now. The village council will be powerless to stop your ascension if you have the backing of the people." Naruto just nodded dumbly. Political maneuvering wasn't exactly his forte, but it was certainly Hiashi's.

"The reasons why I am doing this for you are two fold. Firstly…I owe your father considerably. This is the least I can do for his progeny. Secondly…once your name _is_ revealed, the Hyuuga will gain great clout if they are tied to you in any way. The clan _will_ gain both notoriety and respect throughout the civilian populace, and you too will gain the respect of the Hyuuga by default. In the end, everyone wins." Naruto nodded again. He was beginning to see the absolute genius that was Hyuuga Hiashi.

Hiashi just finished off his sake saucer and sighed. "Of course, this will probably take years. You must be strong enough to defend yourself, the village must come to recognize you as more than the demon, and…well…we'll see what happens between you and Hinata." Hiashi just had a wide smirk on his face and Naruto shot him another annoyed glare.

"What happens between Hinata and I will be _natural_ if it is to happen at all. I won't have you pushing her on me, nor will I push myself on her. Damn the benefits, I will not take something as serious as the woman I will be with for the rest of my life and simply entrust it to an _arrangement_." Naruto's voice held conviction that Hiashi hadn't heard since…well…Minato. He nearly smirked again. The boy had certainly inherited his father's stubborn streak of chivalry.

Hiashi instead merely nodded. "I understand completely. To be honest however…" Hiashi trailed off, remembering Hinata's mother and the courtship they had been through together. At first, Hiashi had been the same way…but in the end, she had left him little choice in the matter. It was amazing how aggressive females could be when _you_ were what they wanted, and you gave them a little self-confidence. Of course, there was always the possibility that Naruto would…well; he did need to revive his clan, in more than one way.

He chuckled, much to Naruto's confusion. "Never mind. You'll understand when you're older. For now, I believe that it is getting late…for one, I have a meeting with a daimyo tomorrow, so I must retire early. I suggest you do the same…you have a medical exam tomorrow, if I remember correctly." Naruto just stared back at Hiashi, wondering just how in the hell the man had known that.

He chuckled again before giving him a dismissive wave. "You'll find that I know much more than you think I do." Hiashi stood up and waited for Naruto to do the same before he gave the boy a small smile. "I have no doubts that your father would be proud of you, Naruto." Naruto just gave the man a guardedly happy smile before they both bowed to each other and left the room. Naruto was escorted to the gates by a branch member and just as he left the compound, the gates shut behind him with an audible bang.

Naruto just stood there for a moment, before he started to make his way back to his house. He couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. This had certainly been an _interesting_ night.

------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto walked up to the chair as he always did, sitting himself down for another lesson in anatomy…or chemistry…or biology…or whatever Kyuubi deemed prudent to teach him. Kyuubi was simply sitting there reading her own book before she gave Naruto a grin and shut the book with an audible clap.

"**So, how did it go?"** Naruto gave her a slightly exasperated grin and made himself comfortable before he sighed.

"Well…I'm in an 'arranged friendship' with Hinata now…Hiashi wants me to marry her when I get older…apparently I'll have a seat on the council if I do." Naruto watched as Kyuubi's expression went from stark blank to almost angry.

"**Who is this 'Hinata'? Why would marrying her get you a seat on the council?"** Naruto just sighed. He supposed he would have to relay the whole story.

So he did.

By the end, Kyuubi was giving him an expression that Naruto couldn't quite read. He wasn't exactly sure what that expression meant, but it was obvious that Kyuubi was perturbed about something. "Is there something wrong with any of that?"

Kyuubi seemed to start for a moment before an obviously fake grin marred her features. **"No, nothing at all! I'm glad…just concerned is all."** Kyuubi's expression changed to one of pensive concern and Naruto waited for her to elaborate.

After a few moments, Kyuubi looked at him with one of the most serious gazes she had ever fixed him with. **"If I get this straight…if you're married to someone before you become an adult, you gain a seat on the council, correct?"** Naruto simply nodded. He still had to have a sponsor, but that was taken care of through Hiashi.

Kyuubi just looked away for a moment with a positively sad look, which Naruto wanted to comment on before Kyuubi perked up and waved him off. **"Maa…we can worry about that later. For now, I have something new I want to teach you…"** She walked to the 'bookcase' and took a new book off the shelf before tossing it to Naruto. The title was, "The Chemistry of Explosives".

Naruto just grinned.

--------------------------------------------

If there was a 'cloud nine'…she was on it.

Hinata had quite possibly the widest grin on her face that any Hyuuga through the decades had _ever_ produced. She _had_ him. Naruto, albeit through no actions of her own, was now her _friend_. He _noticed_ her. Even if it was only in passing…even if it was only at her father's prodding and because of political situations that she didn't quite understand…Naruto was now her _friend_. She didn't even care if he didn't want to be.

At the moment, she would have settled for him simply having him be an _acquaintance_. The mere fact that she now ranked higher than any other girl she knew on Naruto's list of friends nearly sent her into a conniption fit. He was _sure_ to notice her now…right?

Her grin faded slightly. Naruto was her friend because her father had all but _forced_ him to be. The reality was slowly seeping into her mind, and she didn't like it at all. Naruto wasn't her friend because she had finally asked him to be…Naruto wasn't her friend because they had gotten to know each other. They were friends because Naruto…she realized with a startled and sad expression that Naruto felt _sorry_ for her.

He had only realized that she had a crush on him after her father had all but forced her to admit it. He hadn't even had a _hint_ of it beforehand. In fact, he downright thought that she _didn't like him_. Only because she had looked so pitiful…like some sort of kicked puppy…was he her friend. Naruto, her idol, her reason for power, her reason for being a ninja felt _sorry_ for her.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to admit her feelings for him, and he was supposed to return them in earnest, and they would ride off into the sunset on a chariot with white horses, and he would take her into his arms and they would whisper sweet nothings to one another until they were old and grey and their children were grown…

No. This all started not with her admitting her feelings…not with Naruto accepting them…not with anything like it was supposed to. This was starting with Naruto feeling pity for her. The one person that she thought would acknowledge her…the one person that she _knew_ would be her rock…he didn't feel love for her, or kinship, or even friendship, did he? He simply felt pity, and so, being the nice person that Hinata knew him to be, he took her as a friend because she was _pitiful_, and she needed it.

She nearly choked on a sob and noticed that unbidden, tears were soaking her pillow. Naruto wasn't her friend. She was his _burden_. A burden that her father had forced on him…a burden that Naruto didn't need, didn't want, and couldn't cope with, but had anyway, because she _needed__him_, and he was nice, and she wasn't strong enough to take care of herself…at that moment, she realized that she truly _was_ pitiful.

Her reason for existence was Naruto. Her reason for being was Naruto. Her reason for being a ninja was_ Naruto_…and he now held her in a light that one might hold a beggar or a slave in.

Hinata silently cried herself to sleep, believing with utmost certainty that her blessing was somehow a curse.

--------------------------------------------

Naruto was _giddy_. Unrestrainedly _giddy_.

He had thought anatomy was 'cool' as far as intellectual subjects went. It taught someone the basics of disabling via pressure points, how to kill in a quick and efficient manner, and of course, how to heal more effectively. In effect, it was everything a young Nin needed to be able to both heal and kill more efficiently.

And then he had learned about the chemistry involved in explosions.

Anatomy, by comparison, was _boring_.

There were substances…readily _available_ substances…that would produce explosions that absolutely _dwarfed_ those that could be produced by explosive notes. Explosive notes were simply sealed paper that held chakra…they went boom as they released that pent up chakra…which meant that the more chakra a note had, the larger the resulting explosion was. The problem with this was the fact that a piece of paper, no matter how complex the seal, could only hold so much chakra before it simply couldn't hold anymore. This gave explosive notes an unbreakable ceiling to their effectiveness, and effectively prevented explosions larger than what one piece of paper could hold.

Making explosives out of different types of materials, on the other hand, could produce explosions upwards of the magnitude of ten times what a normal explosive note could do, and with only a small smattering of common materials you could usually find at a simple apothecary or farmers supply store. Not only that, but they didn't always have to be simple raw explosions. They could be penetrating explosions, meant to demolish bunkers…area of effect explosions that took out entire regiments of troops…controlled cascade explosions…the list went on and on and Naruto found himself with an insatiable _grin_ on his face that wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Kyuubi had taught him the most basic of the base when it came to explosives in general…however, even the most basic explosives were tremendously useful and tremendously powerful. There was a substance known as nitroglycerin…a highly explosive and highly volatile substance that could be formed by combining simple sugar alcohol with nitric and sulfuric acid. This, mixed with a cellulose compound that Naruto didn't quite understand, yet knew he could make readily, produced what was commonly referred to…or _used_ to be commonly referred to, as Dynamite. This was a much less volatile, but still just as devastatingly explosive material that could be detonated by a simple chakra timer.

The 'Dynamite' substance could be compacted into a small container and made into something Kyuubi had called a 'grenade'. It was a hand thrown projectile that exploded either on harsh contact, or by timer mechanism. She had said that it was _extremely_ useful in flushing out enemies, and anyone caught in the blast radius of one of these 'grenades' would undoubtedly be killed, or very badly maimed.

She had also explained about something known colloquially as the 'flash bang'. Apparently, it was very aptly named. Using a mixture of magnesium and an ammonia compound, the 'flash bang' would emit a tremendously bright flash of light, and a very loud 'bang' upon detonation. This detonation was not fatal…instead, it was used to disorient opponents rather thoroughly. In effect, it was like putting someone under a timed genjutsu that they simply couldn't dispel. The only problem with the 'flash bang' was that it was easily the hardest thing he had yet learned how to make. He would have to set up a small chemistry lab to be able to produce the compounds needed, and he would need raw materials that he wasn't quite sure he could find in Konoha.

Kyuubi had been adamant that he start as soon as possible in the manufacture of his newest ninja tools, citing that they took time to properly craft, and that the materials he needed to gather might not be as readily available as he believed them to be. Naruto had of course complied…he was entirely too exited to want to _wait_ to make the explosive devices Kyuubi had explained to him, and he had promised her that at the earliest possible convenience, he would find the materials they would need, and start work on the chemistry lab.

On top of all of that, he had taken a cursory 'test' in basic to intermediate anatomy with the Kyuubi, and he had passed with flying colors. Even though he was only a few days into his tutoring under the fox, he had a very good working knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. It wasn't anything spectacular, mind you, but it was enough that given some practice, he could really make a great med Nin. It was also enough, he thought, to be able to take the full on beginners medical ninja examination under Kabuto, and he had scheduled as such for later today, after his team got done with their normal regimen of boring and pointless D-ranked missions.

He broke himself from his musings as he realized that his team _wasn't there_. He had been waiting at the bridge for close to five minutes now, and normally, Sakura would have shown up literally the _second_ the clock signified it was time. He had never known her to be late, and the fact that she _was_ put him off a bit. He didn't even spare a thought as to Kakashi's tardiness…such a thing was to be expected.

Even Sasuke was absent, even though Naruto believed him to have a slightly better excuse than the pink haired banshee he had thought of earlier. He had undoubtedly left his teammate with some thinking to do…and he reminded himself that if Sasuke _had_ managed to figure out his little test, that he would have some explaining to do later on. He got his mind churning on just what exactly he would tell Sasuke if in fact he did manage to pass…he wasn't sure he wanted Sasuke to know _everything_, but he supposed he should know _something_.

His thoughts wandered towards his new friendship with both Tenten and now, Hinata. Tenten was…an interesting personality, to say the least. She was feminine, but with a tomboy streak a mile wide. She was obviously a good ninja, and just by seeing her move, he could tell that she took her job seriously. He respected her for that much at _least_, and it only helped that she didn't seem to be some ditsy fan girl type. Fan girls were the epitome of _troublesome_.

Hinata on the other hand was…he wasn't exactly sure _what_ to make of the girl. Looking at the situation with nothing but logic yielded a scary realization that the girl had some serious confidence issues. No doubt this was caused in no small way by her father…he doubted that there was anyone else who had had such a tremendous impact on her life to cause such a serious problem, unless Hanabi was somehow a banshee in disguise…he quickly put that thought out of his mind. She seemed like a more or less regular girl during the dinner.

It was also obvious that the girl had some potential…even the most untrained of Genin could see that much. The girl's body was practically custom made for lithe and quick movements, and that's exactly what the Jyuuken was…or at least, that's what Naruto thought. Most of the Hyuuga he had ever seen had lithe and taut body types, and he could only imagine that the fighting style that went along with that body type was something that focused on agility and speed. 'Gentle Fist' indeed.

The only thing visibly standing in Hinata's way was her confidence issues. He supposed that she might have other faults, but considering that he didn't quite know the girl that well, he was unaware of them. His train of thought derailed slightly as he almost scowled. He was thinking like a sensei…not a friend. His 'job', as it were, wasn't to teach the girl…it was to get to know her, befriend her…with a bit of a start, Naruto realized that he didn't quite know how to be a proper friend.

It certainly wasn't _his_ fault. Through his life, his only friends had been the Hokage, Iruka, and only _very_ slightly, Sasuke. Iruka had been more of an older brother/father figure to him, the Hokage was more like a grandfather, and Sasuke was hardly proper 'friend' material. Besides, Sasuke _was_ technically his cousin. Family relations, no matter how distant or warped, were still family relations. He nearly shuddered. He was _still_ getting used to the idea of being an Uchiha.

He remembered with a bit of a hopeful expression that Tenten had offered…well…more like _ordered_ him to let her teach him how to properly 'socialize'. If he wanted to be a proper friend to Hinata, and possibly a friend/family member to Sasuke, he would certainly need that knowledge. He made a mental note to see Tenten sometime soon…he would certainly need her advice.

He was broken from his musings as a slightly disheveled looking Sakura strode onto the bridge sending a furtive glare at him through half lidded eyes. Behind his mask, Naruto just got an annoyed expression on his face and turned back to staring at the water below, not quite caring why she was late, or why she looked so haggard, only caring that she was _there_, and he didn't quite have to worry about it anymore.

Sakura walked to the opposite end of the bridge from Naruto and slumped against one of the support posts, before Naruto noted that her eyes shut and her breathing became steady once again. The girl was obviously exhausted, although from what, he had no clue. For a moment, he entertained the idea that she had been training, but noticing that the girl had no telltale wounds or bruises that would indicate as such, he dismissed the idea. The girl probably had just stayed up all night chattering about something meaningless with Ino…or herself…or…Naruto didn't care. He turned his attention back to the water, finding the movement of the fish much more exiting.

He allowed his mind to drift off into a blank state for a while before he noticed that there was another figure approaching. One look told him that it was Sasuke, although he was surprised to see that Sasuke's normal scowl was…well, it wasn't _soft_, but it certainly wasn't _as_ anti-social as it usually was. For a moment, Sasuke almost looked forlorn, before his visage once again became the new version of impassive that it had been before. Naruto almost quirked an eyebrow, but decided that if Sasuke wanted to tell him anything or talk to him, _Sasuke_ would be the one to initiate it, not him.

After a short while, Sasuke stood perched on the bridge directly parallel to Naruto, leaning over the railing so as to place him with his back to the blonde. There was an almost terse silence as Naruto and Sasuke both realized that Sakura had not only foregone shouting her traditional bleating to Sasuke, but that she was still very much asleep. Both boys thanked the heavens for small miracles.

Naruto, realizing that they had another three hours or so to blow, began to go over things in his mind that he could do to pass the time. Training was a possibility, but in such a relatively public place, it was sure to be spotted by _someone_. Privacy was a virtue that he didn't have unless he was at the house. He could brush up on his anatomy, but considering that Kyuubi was having one of her 'not-cat' naps, he wouldn't really have anyone to brush up _with_…thus defeating the purpose.

After a few more moments of contemplation, he scowled. With his teammates around, he could scarcely _read_ without them becoming suspicious and curious of his actions…and considering that he most certainly did _not_ want to reveal anything about his abilities, or what he was currently learning, having his teammates take a curiosity into his habits was a decidedly _bad_ thing. Scowling for a few moments more, he chanced upon an idea that his teammates most certainly wouldn't notice.

He could train his senses. Undoubtedly, they would notice chakra being channeled, but to what, they would have no idea. Over and above that, he didn't have to _show_ them anything. It wasn't _the_ best use of his time, but considering the circumstances, it was the best he could do. He focused the proper amount of chakra to his senses, finding that it was much easier now than it had been only days before…and opened himself up to the sights, sounds, and smells of his surroundings.

Sakura used a shampoo that made her smell of flowers…specifically, Sakura flowers. Sasuke simply smelled of freshly washed laundry and a hint of…mint? It was a tangy smell that he couldn't readily place, but it was definitely distinct. The bridge was obviously made of pine…the smell of cured pine wood was readily recognizable…and the water below him gave off almost no smell; a testament to its purity. The forest simply smelled like wood, dirt and…the best word he could attribute to it was 'nature', if one could attribute a word such as 'nature' to any given smell.

Through his ears, he could hear that Sakura's breathing was even more shallow than it had been before, which told him that she was now deeper in sleep than she had been when she initially got there. Sasuke's breathing was more defined, and his-

Naruto cringed when he heard a pronounced 'clop' in the general direction that Sasuke was in. The 'clop' sounded a few more times, and Naruto rescinded the chakra from his ears just as he restrained a muted cry from escaping his lips. The amplification of sound was something that he _still_ wasn't used to, and he wasn't sure if he ever would be. He turned his head to look at the source of the sound, and found that Sasuke was standing directly behind him, a very unreadable and impassive expression on his face…although, his foot was tapping rather nervously on the pine of the bridge. He surmised that the sound had been Sasuke walking towards him, and if he had kept his hearing amplified, the tapping of his teammate's foot would have probably driven him to madness.

"What do _you_ want?" Naruto watched as an impossible flinch crossed Sasuke's face at Naruto's inflection, but it dissolved almost as soon as it appeared. Naruto wondered briefly if he was seeing things. Sasuke did _not_ flinch.

Sasuke looked at him for a few moments more before he strode up to just next to Naruto and stared at the water as Naruto had been doing only moments earlier…before Sasuke interrupted him. Naruto just cocked an eyebrow. He was being strangely subdued, even for _him_.

A few more moments passed before Sasuke sighed slightly. "About what you said yesterday…about true power…" He trailed off, lowering his gaze even further. "…I think I know what you meant."

Naruto simply quirked his eyebrow even further. "Do you really? Care to chance a guess?" Naruto seriously doubted that Sasuke had truly figured out his meaning, but he decided to humor him anyway.

Sasuke stared impassively at the water for a few more moments before he sighed and closed his eyes. "Friends, family, and the need to protect them. I don't have family left…but I can always make friends." Sasuke's eyes opened and his gaze returned to the babbling brook, expression just as impassive as it had been.

If he could have seen beyond Naruto's mask, he would have seen astonishment. He truly had believed the lesson of 'true power' was beyond Sasuke's grasp…but he had been proved wrong. He wasn't sure if he was glad at that or miffed, but he decided that no matter his reaction, Sasuke's side of the bargain was met. He wouldn't tell him just yet that he was wrong about not having family.

After a few moments of silence, Naruto turned his gaze back to the brook and sighed. "I didn't expect that you would get it. I suppose I underestimated you." Sasuke's impassive expression broke for a moment as he smirked at Naruto and allowed the smile to reach his eyes. He couldn't really blame Naruto for expecting him not to get the lesson, but he couldn't help but feel a little gratified by the fact that he had proven Naruto wrong.

A few more moments of silence passed before Naruto stood straight and faced Sasuke. "Meet me at my place after about four…I have something I have to do at the hospital before that. We can discuss more then." Sasuke too stood straight and faced Naruto, gazing into his mask's eye-slits. He nodded his acceptance and returned to his perch on the bridge, mentally preparing himself for the 'discussion' that they would have later on.

Naruto leaned on the bridge and furrowed his brow in thought. This was a whole new situation. He had no idea what he wanted to tell Sasuke, and what he wanted to keep a secret, at least for the time being. He figured that when the time came, he would probably simply _know_. Thinking on it too much would be about as detrimental as thinking too briefly.

He let his mind float back into a blank state and let a ghost of a smile adorn his face. Perhaps Sasuke wasn't as much of an asshole as he thought.

--------------------------------------------

His superiors were _very_ interested.

In a few minutes, Naruto would be coming by for his medical examination, and Kabuto was ready with just the test. Normally, someone who was testing to become a novice medic Nin would get a large fish and be told to bring them back to life from air suffocation. It was a test of being able to simply show general regeneration skills via the application of medical chakra, and only a small amount of general anatomical knowledge. Naruto, however, was _different_…and thus his test was going to be just as different.

His superiors had…_recommended_ that Naruto's test be given in an unorthodox fashion, simply due to the fact that they both wanted to test the boy's overall skill and potential. If he was really as capable and as potentially strong as Kabuto told them he was, then they undoubtedly wanted to use him for their own purposes. Prodigies like Naruto came along only once every few decades, and powerful people like his superiors would be absolutely _stupid_ not to use him to his limit.

His test was set up to test Naruto's ability to improvise, as well as his overall ability to use his…_special_ chakra. If the seal on the boy worked as he thought, then…

Kabuto's door sounded with a swift three knocks and with a call of acknowledgement, it opened to show the masked face of Naruto who was a bit disheveled, and looked to be in a decidedly bad mood. Kabuto nearly smirked. Those looked like cat claw marks…

"The Daimyo's wife's cat again?" Kabuto had 'rescued' that damned cat more times than he could count, and it seemed as though a new generation was dealing with the accursed animal all over again.

Naruto scowled, even though Kabuto couldn't see it. "Yeah. Damned cat had the _audacity_ to try to escape using the sewers. I'd smell like shit if I hadn't used a Kage Bunshin instead. As it is, I remember the smell…" Naruto's tone left no doubt that he was absolutely disgusted, and Kabuto didn't blame him.

Kabuto instead just chuckled and motioned for Naruto to follow him to the examination room. Once they arrived, Naruto cocked his head in a confused gesture, and Kabuto just smiled. "Normally, your test would be simply healing a fish, but I wanted to see just what you can do. If you manage to pass this test, you'll jump immediately to 'Field Medic' level…which is roughly equivalent to Chuunin in med Nin terms."

Kabuto watched as Naruto's posture straightened slightly, and his mood seemed to jump immediately. "Well shit, what are we waiting for? What am I supposed to do?"

He smiled again. "This man is missing a pinky finger. The test is simple. Grow it back."

Naruto nearly choked. He had seen the man on the table under anesthesia when he first came in, and assumed that he would be fixing something minor on the man…but growing back a _finger_? Sure, Naruto would be able to do it on _himself_, but that wasn't due to any medical influence, rather it was due to his healing factor. Was this even possible?

Before he could voice his protests, Kabuto just chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Normally, it wouldn't be possible without some very good skill and technique…however…I believe that if you were to somehow use _that_ chakra, you would be able to accomplish it."

Using the Kyuubi's chakra via the medical seal? It wasn't something he had even _thought_ of before…but truly, if it were possible…the regenerative properties of her chakra along with the conversion that the seal performed…it might just work.

'**_Or it _might_ just poison him and render him in even worse shape than he was before. Furthermore, I'm not sure the seal was designed with _my_ chakra in mind.'_** Kyuubi sounded somewhat peeved…at what, Naruto wasn't sure, but at the moment, it wasn't exactly the most important thing to him.

'_Whether the seal was designed with your chakra in mind or not is beside the point…if it works…the possibilities are endless. I won't have a chance to test it like this again.'_ Naruto didn't exactly need Kyuubi's permission, but it was better than simply doing it without her consent.

For a few moments, everything was quiet in Naruto's mind before a distant sounding sigh made itself present in his conscious. **_'Fine. If it doesn't work, however, don't come crying to me about it.'_**

Naruto gave what amounted to a mental nod and then gave a real nod to Kabuto, who simply smiled and motioned him over to the table. "If it doesn't work, then I'll have you simply go onto the fish exercise. This is mostly an experiment anyway." Naruto simply nodded again and placed his hands over the man's hand, focusing on the spot where his pinky should have been.

He concentrated for a moment, and then with a slight green glow, healing chakra danced on his hands faintly. He had activated the seal, nothing more…Kyuubi's chakra wasn't flowing to his hands yet. With a mental push, the gateway between his chakra and Kyuubi's opened, and with another mental push, her chakra began flowing through the medical seal and out his hands.

The effects were instantaneous. The green chakra surrounding his hands got darker, resembling a forest green, and his raw chakra output nearly tripled. The chakra flowed into the man's hand at a much more hurried pace, and after only a few seconds, Naruto could see the beginnings of his pinky finger regenerating. Naruto mentally kept the chakra from flowing into the man anywhere else other than his hand, and after a few more seconds, his pinky was almost three fourths of the way completely regenerated.

Naruto was ecstatic. It _worked_. He could use Kyuubi's chakra through the medical seal…using this, he could conceivably regenerate a person's entire physical body in mere minutes of application, and heal those even on death's doorstep…

And then the pain came. His stomach felt like it was on fire, and the feeling was slowly seeping outward from the place where his seal was. He had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. The chakra on his hands violently fluctuated again, and he had to fight to keep the chakra localized. He could hear the Kyuubi in the back of his mind trying to tell him to stop, but he paid it no mind for now…he was almost there. The pinky finger was almost completely regenerated, and with another push of chakra, his hands glowed fiercely for a moment, and the finger was completely regenerated.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and released his chakra flow to his hands and to the seal. He wondered briefly just what had happened, but for the moment, he pushed it out of his mind, preferring to focus on the fact that he had just passed the test. He turned around and gave a thumb up to a smiling Kabuto before he promptly passed out.

---------------------------------------------------

He found himself in the confines of the seal again, staring at a very irate, very _pissed off_ Kyuubi. **"I told you, didn't I? The seal was _not_ made with my chakra in mind! Do you realize what could have happened? Even as it is, I'm not sure of the damage you've done!"**

Naruto simply sighed. "The important thing is that it _works_, at least for a little while, right? If someone were really in bad shape, I could do this to keep them alive. It's obviously a last resort type of thing."

Kyuubi looked at him again with the same firm expression, but this time with a hint of resignation. When Naruto had his mind set on something, it was like trying to pry titanium with bare hands to get him off of it. **"That much is true…but you obviously have some sort of a time limit. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I do know that it caused you physical damage…I don't think it damaged the seal, however. We're lucky for that much at least."**

Naruto just nodded and sighed. They both sat around in relative silence for a few minutes before Naruto leaned back and lay on the grass under him, letting his mind-self relax. "Ne…what do you think I should tell Sasuke?"

Kyuubi quirked an eyebrow and let herself fall into the 'grass' as well. After a few moments of contemplation, she simply sighed. **"I really can't tell you that. He's going to be _your_ friend, not mine. You have to decide what you do and don't want him to know…but if he's going to be training with you, he should probably know about me."**

Naruto simply gasped. He had forgotten that part of the 'deal' was mutual training. This meant that unless he wanted to stow Kyuubi permanently during training, he would have to either tell Sasuke the truth, or make something up. He was leaning towards making something up, but then again, _real_ friends didn't really do that to each other…not that he was above that. If they were really going for this _friendship_ thing, then he would have to decide just how far he would take it, and how fast.

After a few more minutes of silence, Kyuubi sighed again, which caused Naruto look over at her. She had an almost concerned expression on her face. **"I don't know why…but I don't really trust Kabuto. Be careful around him, ok?"**

Naruto simply raised his eyebrows and gave a confused stare to Kyuubi. Seeing this, she figured she should elaborate. **"He smells like snake. Not much of a reason…but…"** Naruto nearly smirked. In nature, Foxes _hated_ snakes…and it seemed that some traces of her old instinct still lingered. Nevertheless, he trusted her instincts almost implicitly at this point. She had yet to be wrong about things regarding character assessment.

"I'll keep that in mind, but he seems like a pretty good person to me. He knows about you, and doesn't seem to hate me for it…and he's well mannered and good natured…" Naruto stopped for a second, realizing that no one had been as outwardly _nice_ to him as Kabuto had been, especially those that knew about the Kyuubi, and weren't somehow figures of authority.

Kyuubi, seeing his epiphany, simply smirked. **"Yeah…he's almost _too_ nice. It could just be paranoia…but something just _bugs_ me about him."**

Naruto simply nodded and went back to watching the faux clouds in the sealscape. He would worry about Kabuto later. For now, he was just content with the fact that he was now a full-fledged medic Nin, and he was at peace, even if he was technically passed out. It was turning out to be a good day. He closed his eyes and drifted off, never noticing Kyuubi staring at him with a smile on her face.

-------------------------------------------------

He imagined that this was his penance for not listening to Kyuubi.

He felt horrible…in every conceivable way, he felt _horrible_. It was as if he had just been through full body acupuncture with rusty chainsaws. Not exactly the best feeling in the world.

He had awoken only minutes earlier to a sterile, matte grey ceiling and a sterile smelling room that immediately reminded him of where he was. He had found a note from Kabuto who had basically alluded to the fact that he was now a 'fully certified medical ninja' and had included all the normal congratulations due to him. Naruto couldn't help but smile slightly. Even if Kabuto wasn't someone who he should be trusting absolutely implicitly, it was still nice to be acknowledged.

With a grunt of effort, he finished donning his accoutrement and limped out the door, forcing himself through pure will and grit to not wince every time he moved. Whatever his little 'experiment' had done to him had greatly hindered his ability to move or even generate chakra…it was like the effects of lactic acid on the muscles, except spread throughout every system of his body. He figured that whatever it was, he'd have to experiment as to how to get rid of it later. Even if this _was_ a last resort technique, he didn't want to feel like this every time he used it.

After he successfully made it out of the hospital, he found a bench and plopped himself down on it, breathing heavily. His body was simply running on fumes…something was definitely wrong, and he had to figure out how to get rid of this, else he would be weaker than a child until it went away.

Apparently, Kyuubi had already figured it out. **_'While you were dozing off, I took a look at exactly what you did to your body…and while it's interesting, I don't think you'll like it.'_**

Naruto gulped. **_'The medical seal works by conversion, right? Well, to convert _my_ chakra, it has to filter many more…I suppose the best word would be 'impurities' out of it than it would if it were using _your_ chakra. Those impurities have to go _somewhere_, and apparently, the seal is designed to put those impurities into your own body to be filtered out using my chakra as a secondary filter. The problem occurs when _my_ chakra is used to try to purge impurities caused by the same chakra that created the impurities in the first place. It's like trying to clean a dirty surface using dirty water.'_**

Naruto sighed…it made sense. _'So how do I get rid of the impurities then? If your chakra can't filter it, then how can mine?'_ To Naruto's chagrin, he heard what sounded like chuckling coming from the back of his head.

'**_Remember the purification seals? You have eighteen of them. My chakra is converted to normal chakra via these seals, and in a way, the medical seal is roughly the same way…except with the regular purification seals, the impurities are neutralized by using your own chakra to dilute them and eventually cast them off when you use chakra. However, because of the purification seals, your own chakra is more potent than usual. Because of this, your own chakra is able to purge the impurities of my chakra due to it's similarity in potency, but discrepancy in purity. In this case, you'll basically have to flare your own chakra for a few minutes to purge your system. Pretty simple really.'_**

Naruto almost smiled in relief. _'So basically I just use chakra for a few minutes to get rid of it?'_ Getting a mental nod from Kyuubi, Naruto really did smile. He thought it was going to be something complicated. Forming a ram seal, he concentrated on his own chakra, heedless of control, and simply let the floodgates open.

A fierce blue storm erupted around him almost immediately, and he could literally feel the impurities in his system being cast off into the wind as so much trash. It felt good to be able to simply let loose his chakra regardless of control for once, and he smiled at the fact that he could feel his reserves already refilling even as he was using his chakra fully.

He continued this for about a minute until he felt four different sources of chakra converging on him at a very quick rate. He continued to flare his chakra, but now he stood and took a defensive posture, his right hand just over the hilt of his sword and his left in a guarded position directly parallel to him. He had no idea who was coming toward him, but whoever they were, they each had almost as much chakra as he did. In fact, one of them probably had more, and that was saying something.

It soon became clear that he hadn't needed to take up a defensive posture. From the rooftops came the Hokage, complete with two masked ANBU and his sensei in tow. With a confused cock of the head, he slid out of his defensive stance and simply stared at the Hokage as he looked at Naruto with concern, curiosity and just a hint of panic. The look was reflected somewhat in Kakashi's eye as well, and after a few moments, Naruto realized just what had happened. He resisted the urge to slap himself on the forehead.

The Hokage all but ran up to Naruto as he was flaring his chakra and with an even more concerned visage, gave Naruto a questioning glance. "Naruto, just what's going on? I felt your chakra flare in the Hokage tower and thought that you were under attack, or perhaps you'd been injured…" He trailed off, noticing that Naruto was now scratching the back of his head in typical Naruto fashion.

Naruto simply let out a small embarrassed chuckle and continued to scratch the back of his head. "Sorry about that ojii-san. I kind of had a weird thing happen with my medical exam and needed to get rid of some impurities in my system by using my own chakra to purge it clean. Didn't realize that I was using so much." Naruto turned down his chakra output to normal levels and felt his body for any lingering traces of the impurities. Finding none, he smiled slightly. He _did_ feel much better than he had a few minutes ago.

Instead of the Hokage's face calming down, it seemed to become even more concerned. "What sort of 'weird thing' happened? Does it have to do with _that_?"

Naruto just sighed and nodded his head. The Hokage just closed his eyes and sighed before motioning the ANBU trailing him to return to their posts. Kakashi kept his somewhat concerned gaze on Naruto and Naruto just prepared himself to explain.

The Hokage sat down on the bench and motioned for Naruto to do the same, which he complied with. Kakashi just crossed his arms and leaned against the fence surrounding the hospital. "Please explain just what happened, Naruto."

Naruto sighed. "For the medical examination, Kabuto had me regenerate someone's pinky finger by running _that_ chakra through the seal instead of my own." The Hokage's eyes widened imperceptibly and Kakashi's own cyclopean gaze became one of slight shock at hearing that Kyuubi's chakra could be used to heal people just as well as normal chakra. Naruto just sighed again and leaned back against the bench.

"The problem is that the medical seal has to filter out the impurities of the chakra it uses before it can really work. Normally, the impurities of my own chakra would simply be purged by _that_ chakra and everything would be fine…except _that_ chakra can't filter the impurities that _it itself_ created. She used the analogy of saying that it's like cleaning a dirty surface with dirty water. So, to get rid of these impurities, I have to literally flare my own chakra, which has its natural potency increased by _that_ chakra, to cleanse my system. That's what I was doing just now, and it seemed to work rather well."

The Hokage and Kakashi both had slightly incredulous expressions on their face by the end of the explanation, and Naruto couldn't suppress a slight grin, even though no one saw it. It was nice to be able to dumbfound the strongest ninja in the village and his sensei in one felled swoop. After a few more moments of silence, the Hokage sighed and stood up while shaking his head slightly. "I never would have thought that using _that_ chakra as a healing medium for anyone other than yourself would work. That seal on your stomach is truly remarkable. However…I don't want you using that particular way of healing any more unless you absolutely have to, alright?"

Naruto just nodded. "I've already decided to use it only as a last resort sort of thing…it hurts too much during and afterwards to do it all the time." The Hokage nodded and Kakashi just eye smiled slightly, both resolving to have a little _talk_ with Kabuto at some time in the future. While he may have been the impetus of a great new healing technique, he was playing with fire a bit too freely for both of their tastes.

Sarutobi sighed and stood before walking towards the street once again. "Well, at least it was a good diversion from paperwork. You always seem to be good for that, Naruto." Naruto just scratched the back of his head embarrassedly and they both could sense a smile underneath Naruto's mask.

The Hokage began to walk away before he was stopped by a little piece of wisdom from Naruto. "Ne, Ojii-san…if paperwork is such a bother, why don't you use Kage Bunshin to get it done more quickly?"

He quickly stopped in his tracks and froze for a moment, before he began laughing rather heartily…an action that Kakashi mimicked slightly as well. Naruto cocked an eyebrow at this, but resolved to wait until both of them stopped laughing to ask just what they were laughing at. Before he could voice his question, however, the Hokage just shook his head and gave off a resigned sigh while in the middle of laughing.

"Only you would think of such a simple solution to a big problem. I daresay, you've just beaten the most persistent and difficult enemy any Kage has ever faced." Sarutobi turned around and almost _beamed_ at Naruto…who was even more confused than he had been before. Why on earth hadn't _they_ thought of this before he did? He thought that there would be some sort of detrimental effect to it that stopped them from using it, hence why it wasn't already done…he expected that his comment would simply be explained away…but they really hadn't thought of that? What kind of Kage was he?

The Hokage just gave another resigned chuckle and shook his head. "That's an excellent idea, Naruto. I think I'll start using that as soon as I get back to the tower. Kage Bunshin to defeat paperwork…what a marvelous idea…why didn't I think of that?" Naruto cocked another eyebrow at the muttering Hokage before he simply shook his head and chuckled himself, writing it off as an idiosyncrasy of all Kage's…perhaps paperwork was more of a devil than he gave it credit for.

Sarutobi patted Naruto on the head and with a smile, poofed away back towards the tower, undoubtedly to tackle his hoards of paperwork with renewed vigor, while Kakashi eye-smiled at Naruto and motioned for him to follow. "I'll treat you to some ramen for passing the medical ninja examination."

At the mention of ramen, Naruto couldn't help but smile a bit. It was still his greatest weakness, even with his new persona and new ideals…he resigned himself to being a ramen addict for the rest of his life, even though he really couldn't find anything bad about it. Who didn't like ramen?

-------------------------------------------------------

Yamanaka Ino hated ramen.

With every fiber of her being, she hated the stuff. It was fattening, it was entirely plebian, and it was completely devoid of any _flare_. In short, it was the food of commoners, and Yamanaka Ino was _not_ a commoner.

Hence, why she raised such a fuss when Chouji decided unilaterally that her team would visit Ichiraku ramen for their obligatory after-mission meal.

Normally, they would visit the local BBQ joint that Chouji seemed to adore, but apparently, today, his palette was set completely on ramen…for reasons that Ino couldn't quite comprehend. Chouji had explained it as 'divine intervention' or some such thing, and Shikamaru simply hadn't put up a fight. He never ate anything when they went out anyway. He simply went along with whatever Ino or Chouji wanted to do…it was his nature as a Nara.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, she sighed and poked at the vegetarian ramen in front of her with little interest. It wasn't that it didn't taste good…if she was honest with herself, it tasted _great_…but it wasn't what she was supposed to eat. It didn't have anything redeeming to it…no nutritional value, no weight loss benefits, no style…it simply wasn't _her_ type of food. Disregarding this for a moment, she checked to see if anyone was watching, and seeing that no one was, she dug into the ramen for a moment, savoring the taste. As long as no one actually _saw_ her eat the stuff, it was alright.

She absentmindedly listened to Chouji and Shikamaru talk about something mundane and Asuma flirt with the girl…Ayame, if she remembered correctly…with little interest. The past few days had been positively _boring_. Aside from a late-night girl-talk session with forehead…in which she learned that Naruto was apparently a 'poo-poo head' or some such thing, she simply hadn't had anything to liven up the relative monotony that was the condition of being a Genin. D-ranked missions and eating with her team was the highlight of her life the past few days.

She perked slightly when a one-eyed Jounin and a masked, sword wielding ninja with darker blonde hair ambled into the stand and ordered ramen…the blonde _much_ more than the Jounin. The stand owners seemed to know the blonde rather well, and he bantered back and forth with them rather easily. Seeing that no one was paying any attention to her, she immediately went into 'girl-mode'…and began checking the newcomer out, seeing as how he was about her general age.

He was well built, that much was for certain…he had nice tanned skin, and his hair was shaggy and wavy almost like fur. He had a deeper almost baritone voice that was silky and lilting, and Ino could have sworn she had heard it before. With a start, she realized that the kid was removing his mask to start to eat his ramen, and she stared at his face, hoping to get a good look of some prospective eye-candy.

When his mask was completely off, Ino gasped. Three cleft whisker marks on each cheek…black eyes…long face…her mind put it all together in one instant, and she couldn't help but openly gape.

That was _Naruto_?! Since when did he become so drop-dead _gorgeous_?!

With his mask off, the picture was completed…and what a picture it was. He held an almost bestial appeal to him…his whisker marks making him almost feral…his eyes looking tough, reserved, and full of humor at the same time. His face was matured and hardened, yet boyish and charming at the same time. It all went perfectly with his bulky yet un-restricted build, and Ino found herself with an incurable blush the likes of which hadn't adorned her face since she had glomped Sasuke back at the academy.

Hell, even the way Naruto ate ramen was sensual and even a bit sexy. Ino was light years ahead of other girls when it came to her more _feminine_ side, and because of this, she could recognize when a guy was just simply too damned sexy for his own good. As Naruto (in Ino's mind) sensually slurped the ramen, Ino's blush became even more pronounced than it had been before, and she realized with a start that she was almost drooling at simply _looking_ at Naruto eat. She mentally shook herself. While he may be gorgeous, he was still _Naruto_…hunk or not, he was still a silly, immature, loudmouthed brat.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei…I was wondering, would it be possible for you to help train me in chakra natures? I kind of hit a glass ceiling with my jutsu training until I learn my various natures…and while _she_ is a big help, she doesn't know much about the nature of chakra." Naruto was turned towards his Sensei now, showing the back of his head to Ino in the process. She nearly gasped. The nature of chakra? That was something you didn't learn about until you hit Chuunin, at least…or at least, her father had told her as much.

Kakashi seemed to think for a moment before he nodded his head slightly. "I can only really help you with fire and earth…you'll have to find someone with the wind nature to help you out there, even though I _can_ give you some general training in that regard." Ino couldn't help herself this time, and actually _did_ gasp. _Three_ chakra natures?! From what little her father had tutored her in, having anything more than two was absolutely _remarkable_…and to have three…

Naruto smiled, and that made Ino's blush return full force. It as a primal smile that was malicious, mischievous and happy at the same time. It reminded her curiously of a fox. "That's good enough I suppose. Do you know anyone with wind natured chakra that can help me out? You said something about some guy named Asuma before…"

This time, Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino all sweat-dropped. Here he was sitting right next to the guy, and he didn't know who he was?

Kakashi simply chuckled and pointed behind Naruto to a now fully interested Asuma. Naruto blinked a few times before he smiled again. "You're Asuma? Nice to meet you, I'm Naruto." He gave a slight bow of the head which Asuma returned with amusement, before he took another puff on his cigarette and smirked.

"You have an affinity with wind? That's rare…not many people in Konoha with that affinity." Naruto just scratched the back of his head and smiled again. "Yeah, so I was told. I guess you're the guy to ask when it comes to learning about it, right?"

Asuma smirked again. "Yeah…I'm the only Jounin that I know of with a wind affinity, so most people with that affinity come to me. Tell you what kid, I'll write you up a scroll on the nature of wind chakra and even a few wind jutsu I know, if you'll get the tab on this ramen excursion of ours."

Naruto seemed to think for a moment before he nodded. "Sounds fair enough. Though, I don't really need those jutsu…I've got a whole bunch of them that I can learn from an archive…although, you _may_ have some that the basement doesn't…"

Asuma quirked an eyebrow and looked at Kakashi who simply eye-smiled obliviously. "Since when did you have access to an archive of jutsu, kid?" Naruto just smirked. "Since a few days ago…but that's not important. When should I get this scroll from you?"

Asuma quirked another eyebrow but decided that the boy's secrets were his own…and they couldn't be that bad if Kakashi wasn't worried. "Come to training ground ten tomorrow at around eight…I'll give it to you then." Naruto simply nodded and returned to eating his ramen full-tilt. Asuma smirked again and took another puff on his cigarette before he returned to flirting with the waitress behind the counter again. Kakashi took out an orange colored book that looked to be of a perverted nature and began reading, while Chouji and Shikamaru got back into another discussion on something relatively mundane.

Ino, on the other hand, was floored. Her perceptions of one blonde haired idiot were now effectively _shattered_. He had access to three different chakra affinities…he had drastically changed his look…he was absolutely _hot_…moreover; the boy apparently had access to some sort of jutsu archive. It was enough to make Ino question just why Sakura hated the boy…she could find _nothing_ wrong with him.

Ino drifted off into her own thoughts as Naruto finished and somehow made Kakashi pay the tab, resulting in a comedic scene that Ino would have undoubtedly found funny if she weren't so immersed in her own little world. Kakashi and Naruto got up and left in different directions, while Asuma bade his team farewell, Shikamaru and Chouji leaving soon after. Ino only barely realized that she herself was now walking towards home and with a start, she realized that she was at her front door.

Walking in, she saw her father sitting in a recliner, reading some book on psychology. Her father, seeing that his daughter had a slightly dazed look on her face, decided to ask if anything was wrong. Ino just looked at him before she shook herself and thought for a moment.

"Dad…what do you know about a boy named Naruto?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto allowed himself to relax…truly, it was a novel pleasure.

Since his training had begun, he had naught had but a few moments of time wherein he had allowed himself simply to _rest_. This was one of those times. As he sat in the onsen, contemplating his upcoming conversation with Sasuke, he allowed his muscles and mind to be drained of any and all stress they had accumulated over the last few days. He was in a form of heaven.

His time in heaven was abruptly brought to an end by a knocking sound from his front door and a growling sound from Kyuubi. He scowled. Sasuke was early.

With a grunt, he brought his form out of the private onsen and threw on an impromptu bathrobe before making his way back to the house and to the front door, making sure that Kyuubi was in her fox form on the way. Looking through the peephole, he saw the telltale face of Sasuke, and with another half-scowl, he opened the door. It wasn't that he didn't want him here, it was just…he was _early_ damn it…he was having _fun_ doing nothing.

The two just stood there for a moment, as if sizing each other up, before Naruto motioned for Sasuke to enter. Sasuke took a seat on the rather sizable couch in the middle, while Naruto went to his kitchen to fetch 'refreshments'. There was nothing better for 'stick-up-the-ass' syndrome than a good shot of warm sake. That much Naruto was absolutely _sure_ of.

After a few minutes, Naruto emerged with two bottles of slightly warmed sake, and after handing one of them to Sasuke, he sat down in his designated recliner and took a sip, relishing the warm burning feeling once again. He noticed that Sasuke was just staring at him incredulously and throwing confused glances towards both him and the sake bottle resting in his hand. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"It's Sake, Sasuke. You know, rice alcohol? Take a swig, you'll like it." Naruto couldn't help but smirk at Sasuke's even more incredulous reaction to his assertion of it being 'alcohol'. The boy certainly needed to loosen up.

Sasuke stared at him for a few moments before he stared at the sake bottle for a few seconds…before he stared at Naruto again…and then back to the sake bottle…before he finally took a tentative swig. Sasuke grimaced ever so slightly at the sensation of it pouring down his throat…which caused Naruto's smirk to widen…and then he took another sip. Naruto couldn't help but outright smile at the boy's quick acceptance of the beverage. If anyone could use some brain-killing stuff like Sake, it was Sasuke.

After a few more moments of tentative silence, Naruto took another sip off his bottle and sighed. He had no idea what he wanted to tell him. Even though he had thought that when the moment came, he would know…he simply _didn't_. This was an entirely different situation than with Hiashi or Kouseki or Hinata or even Tenten…Sasuke was his rival, one of his first 'friends' by a relatively tentative definition of the word, and one of the most reserved personalities he had ever encountered. If he wasn't careful, he could alienate him just as easily as he could break him or even endear him in a platonic fashion.

"Damn this is awkward…" His muttering was apparently heard by Sasuke who simply smirked and nodded slightly. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle slightly. At least they agreed on that much. He took another swig of his sake as he scowled. They didn't need some damned deep discussion. He would save that stuff for the soap operas…for now, he had an idea.

"Hey, Sasuke, what say we just go to a bar or something? Maybe that'll loosen us up." Sasuke just looked up startled again and gave Naruto a sort of 'are you kidding?' look. Naruto smirked. For all his mystery, Sasuke was entirely too tight.

Naruto stood up and made his way to the staircase. "I'm going to go change out of this bathrobe, and then we can head out." He noticed that Kyuubi was following him on his heels, giving him what amounted to a fox's equivalent of a confused stare. Naruto couldn't help but smirk even wider. He knew this was a good idea.

After he got changed into his usual attire, he got read to go back downstairs when Kyuubi in her human form stood at the doorway, arms crossed over her chest with a slightly firm expression. Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"A bar? Is there a reason why you can't get plastered here at home?" Kyuubi's tone left little doubt that she was both concerned and perturbed at the same time.

Naruto sighed. "I'm not going to a bar to get plastered…social environments seem to loosen people up, and the atmosphere downstairs is so tense you could cut the tension in the air with a kunai. That's not exactly conducive to conversation."

Kyuubi just scowled, but seemed to accept it nonetheless. She reverted to her fox form rather quickly and hopped up onto Naruto's shoulders, settling into her familiar place just under Naruto's chin. Naruto smiled. He always liked that familiar pressure around his neck that she provided. He made his way downstairs, noticing that Sasuke was admiring the sword on the mantle.

He walked over to where Sasuke was standing and smirked. "That belonged to my father…the one on my back is a smaller version that I use because I'm not exactly tall enough to wield that one yet." Sasuke looked over at Naruto…specifically, the sword on his back, and nodded.

"My father had a sword as well…he didn't ever really use it…it was mostly for decoration and ceremony. He did say that it was battle-ready though. Maybe…" Sasuke seemed to think for a moment before he shook his head and started to walk towards the door. Naruto quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. Walking over to the door, he opened it before locking it and following Sasuke out, closing it with a soft click. They both made their way out onto the street, both of them still unconsciously carrying their sake bottles.

------------------------------------------------

"You know, maybe it would have been a good idea to find a bar to go to before we just blindly set out."

Naruto couldn't help but agree. They'd been at this for the better part of an hour and a half.

Currently, Naruto and Sasuke were strolling the part of Konoha that was referred to as 'downtown'. There were bars, clubs, restaurants…and as Naruto had noticed, several houses of 'ill repute'. They had their pick of bars of which to choose from, and they had absolutely no idea which one exactly they should go into. Some looked to be high-class affairs, while others were the very picture of seedy. They had been strolling for a good portion of time already, but had not found a bar that they both agreed on.

They had both finished their respective sake bottles about thirty minutes ago…and they were both much more 'loose' for it. The sake had given them both a slight buzz…Sasuke a bit more than Naruto…and they were both a bit more free with their emotions and facial expressions than they would be otherwise. Currently, they were both in a sour mood; the effect of walking around looking for a place to drink for an hour and a half taking its toll on the two. It certainly wasn't the _best_ use of their time.

They both stopped when they saw a completely unmarked, unnamed bar that had nothing but a picture of a Kunai on the window pane. The only thing that gave it off as a 'bar' was the fact that there was a steady smell of alcohol wafting out the front door, and that a few ninja had already come stumbling out, more than slightly inebriated. Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, who simply nodded.

Walking in the front door, they were greeted by quite the scene. Tables were set up in a half-moon configuration around what looked to be a lounge-stage. A bar counter stood at the back of the room, and the place was only dimly lit. The surfaces were made mostly of worn but sturdy wood, and the place smelled of booze, tobacco and just a hint of substances that Naruto and Sasuke didn't exactly want to think about.

They also noticed that they were being stared at by almost the entire patronage of the bar itself. It was only now that Naruto realized that the youngest people here, aside from themselves, were probably in their early twenties. That wasn't to say that they weren't allowed…or at least, Naruto didn't _think_ they weren't allowed…but perhaps the patronage of two twelve year old Genin's wasn't something they were particularly used to.

A gruff looking ninja with an eye patch and a cigar walked up to them, a stern yet somewhat amused look on his face. "What are you two kids doing here? This isn't the place for children you know." Naruto scowled, though you couldn't see it. Sasuke, on the other hand, made up for that fact with his own patented 'Uchiha death-glare'.

"We stopped being children the moment we became Ninja, fool. Perhaps you'd like a demonstration of that fact." Sasuke subconsciously lowered his right hand to just above his kunai holster, and Naruto readied his right hand to draw his sword. Sasuke didn't know if they could take him…he was probably a Chuunin…but they would sure as hell try. It's not exactly as if they _wanted_ to fight…or at least, they wouldn't admit to such…but no one called them _children_ and got away with it.

The gruff looking man got an even more amused look on his face, chomping at his cigar and blowing the smoke out of the left side of his mouth. After a moment, he simply laughed. "You're Genin, aren't you? I doubt you could take me, kid. Besides, you ain't even old enough to drink. Scram before I call your mommies."

That did it. Naruto drew his sword and held it in a basic stance while Sasuke just drew his kunai, getting into the basic academy defense stance. Kyuubi almost squealed. She had wanted to fight for a while, but Naruto hadn't let her. She jumped down from her perch on Naruto's neck and growled at the man, even though it came out as barely a squeaking sound.

Naruto smirked behind his mask. "We're old enough to kill, we're old enough to drink…and we're certainly old enough to kick your ass."

With that, Naruto switched his sword to his right hand and brought it up above his head, pointing the sword at the man while shifting his weight to his back foot. His stance presented the minimal aspect to the enemy, and it had been drilled into his head as the 'usual' starting stance that her sensei used when starting to fight. His left foot was placed forward, extended away from his body, and his left was crouched underneath him, providing a quick springing motion if necessary. His left hand was out away from his body, much like his left foot, and his sword arm made a crescent shape above his head, holding his sword perpendicular to his body.

Sasuke saw Naruto get into a 'battle' stance and decided to do the same, drawing another kunai and crossing them in front of him in a backhanded grip, feet spread wide. He still wasn't sure that they could take him, but if it came down to it, they could burn this place to the ground. Sasuke smirked at that idea. He could easily pay the damages if necessary…it would be worth it.

Kyuubi glanced at Naruto before turning her attention back to the bouncer. **_'We need to work on your stance later on. And don't even think about trying to use Ryuudou with that yet. You'd be slower than if you just used your feet.'_**

Naruto smirked before nodding mentally towards Kyuubi. Kyuubi just smirked right back. She could feel Naruto pumping her full of chakra, almost to the point of overflow, and she grew only slightly larger before she could take no more. She readied herself to possibly even take her human form if absolutely necessary…at least then she could use Ryuudou for a few moments if things got really out of hand.

Naruto was the first to move. Springing off of his left foot, he tried for a simple impaling maneuver on the bouncer. The bouncer smirked and dodged to the left, drawing his own kunai in the process. He was about to go back after Naruto when a kunai incoming from Sasuke made him dodge back to his right. Naruto took advantage of this, twirling haphazardly and going for a simple slashing maneuver across the man's chest area. It missed when the man crouched slightly to avoid it, and he jumped upwards afterwards to avoid another kunai thrown by Sasuke.

He came back down on his haunches in time to throw a sweeping kick in Naruto's direction, which Naruto managed to jump over while at the same time drawing a shuriken from his hip pouch. He made to throw it, and the Chuunin made to dodge, but Kyuubi had bitten down onto his heel rather forcefully, rooting the man to the ground for a moment. That's all Naruto needed. His shuriken flew through the air towards the man, at the same time that Sasuke launched a flying kick at the man's head.

The kick connected right before the shuriken did, sending the man tumbling away with a shuriken stuck into his flack jacket just below his diaphragm. Kyuubi leaped away with vulpine grace, and Sasuke got back into a defensive position, this time without any kunai in his hands. Naruto and Sasuke both wore a smirk, even though you could only see Sasuke's, and Naruto got back into his 'initial' stance again, ready to try the impaling maneuver once more.

The man's cigar was still in his mouth, but this time his mouth was curved into a vicious glower. "You brats! No one comes here and does that to me, NO ONE!" He drew a kunai of his own and tossed it at Sasuke rather forcefully, resulting in Sasuke dodging to the left…right into the path of the man's punch. He tried to find an object to use kawarimi with, but upon finding that he couldn't quite make it, he braced himself for the impact.

Or at least, the impact he _thought_ would come. Naruto had once again tried for the impaling maneuver…but this time, it worked. Naruto's sword was stuck clean through the man's thigh, a small river of blood running down the blade's edge. Sasuke was stunned for only an instant, before he drew his right hand back and punched the man in the face forcefully, sending him tumbling backwards, and forcefully dislodging Naruto's sword from his thigh.

This time, Naruto just stared, stunned at both the fact that his maneuver had worked, and at what he had just done. Getting into a bar fight was one thing…seriously wounding a fellow Konoha Nin in a bar fight, possibly resulting in the man's permanent disability or death was completely another. Naruto wasn't exactly sure if he had nicked the man's femoral artery or not, but the raw amount of blood gushing out of the man's thigh was proof that he probably had.

He cursed and laid down his sword before rushing over to the man, funneling chakra to his medical seal. He knelt down beside him, noticing the man's stunned and slightly frightened expression…as well as the increasing pallor of his face. He cursed again. "Damn! Hold on, I'll heal you…this might hurt."

The man just looked at him incredulously for a moment before nodding faintly. By this time, a small crowd of Ninja had gathered around, some of them being faces that Naruto recognized. He cringed. If this guy died…he was in deep shit.

He decided that he had absolutely no choice. With a mental push, he directed Kyuubi's chakra to the seal, feeling the healing chakra rush to his hands. He localized the chakra over the man's now soaking with blood thigh, and pushed every last bit of healing chakra into his hands that he could muster, feeling the pain of his seal increase ever so slightly…he had to make this quick.

The man seemed to cringe slightly, but color began to return to his face. The bleeding stopped after a few seconds, and after a few more, it was as if the wound hadn't even existed…if not for the pool of blood that was underneath the man's leg. Naruto disengaged the healing chakra and began to flare his own chakra to get rid of the impurities before he too began to feel the effects.

The bar was silent for a little bit before he heard a bit of muted muttering among the other ninja in the bar. A few of them were glancing at him and smirking, while others looked astonished and some even a bit frightened. The wounded man simply looked at him with a mixture of awe, fear, and even a bit of gratitude…while Sasuke was staring at him with barely concealed fervent curiosity, as well as a tinge of jealousy. Naruto simply sighed.

He was getting ready to help the man to his feet and then take him to the hospital when he turned around and met the one cyclopean eye of his sensei, replete with orange book and a small saucer of Sake. He could only squeak quietly and gape. Sasuke too gaped at the fact that their sensei had just _appeared_ randomly in front of them, and seemed to be completely unsurprised and calm about the whole situation.

The one-eyed Jounin just stood and leaned on the wall, giving Naruto and Sasuke both a completely deadpan look. "Hmm…if I remember correctly, the first time I came in here, I wounded him even worse than you did. At least _I_ put him in the hospital."

Naruto and Sasuke both sweat-dropped fiercely, and they noticed that a few of the Nin behind them laughed quietly. They turned to look at each other incredulously before giving Kakashi a very confused stare. Kakashi chuckled and motioned for them to follow him over to a table, which they both did, Naruto only after he had picked up his sword and forced chakra into it to clean it. They noticed that the man got help to stand from someone who seemed like the manager, and it looked as though that manager was yelling at the man somewhat forcefully, even though the man was simply ignoring it. Naruto was now even more confused than he had been a few moments before.

Sitting down, Kakashi took a sip of his Sake and put his book away, giving a somewhat perverted stare to a particularly attractive waitress as she passed. "I never would have thought you two would show up here, though. People don't usually learn about this place until they hit Chuunin. That's not to say that Genin aren't allowed, though."

Giving Kakashi a completely confused and incredulous stare, Sasuke just quirked his head to the side in a completely un-Sasuke like way. "What exactly is going on here? I would have thought we would be taken in on assault charges or something…I mean, we did wound the guy pretty bad."

Kakashi just waved them off with his free hand, taking another sip of his sake. "Hardly…that guy picks fights with anyone who's willing…he gets sent to the hospital more often than almost anyone I've ever met. Most people just learn to ignore him…but since you guys have never been here…and were a bit too anxious for a fight…" Sasuke and Naruto had the decency to look sheepish. "…he was able to coax a fight out of you pretty easily. Not a bad job, by the way."

Naruto had to restrain a smirk, and Sasuke didn't restrain it at all. Kakashi just gave them a deadpan look again. "Don't misunderstand me. You both need serious work…I'll have to set up a training regimen from now on…hmm…how many laps does Gai have Lee do around Konoha every day…" Naruto almost choked on his tongue, and Sasuke's eyes went wide. Laps _around_ Konoha? That was absolutely _insane_!

Kakashi eye-smiled and chuckled. "Insane, right? Yeah, Gai is kind of like that. Not exactly 'all there'. Speaking of which, here he comes now."

Both boys looked to their right to see a green clad Jounin with a horrendous bowl cut hair style marching towards them with an absolutely blinding smile on his face. Naruto resisted the urge to cringe, while Sasuke simply shuddered. Kakashi noticed the reactions and quietly chuckled again. Gai, apparently, was oblivious to it all.

"Kakashi, my eternal rival! I find you here once again! I have come to challenge you in a game of…" Gai noticed Naruto and Sasuke both giving him a confused and almost frightened look…even though Gai technically couldn't see Naruto's expression…and quirked an eyebrow.

"Kakashi, why have you brought two youthful youths to such a hovel as this? They are just Genin, and you would pollute their minds?" Gai by now had a rather comical 'stern' expression adorning his face, and Kakashi was simply deadpan once more.

"Maa, they were here when I got here. Besides, it not like being a ninja isn't 'mind polluting' enough." Sasuke and Naruto both nodded at that bit of sage wisdom, and Gai simply seemed to get even more flustered than he had been before. Luckily for them, he seemed to drop it rather quickly.

"Kakashi! I challenge you to a drinking contest! If I lose, I shall run five hundred laps around Konoha on my hands, and if I cannot accomplish that, I shall carry a boulder back and forth between here and Suna three times!" Both boys had an absolutely frightened look on their faces at the tasks that the green monster had set before himself…_five hundred_ laps? On your _hands_? Carry a boulder to Suna, not once, but _three_ times? Naruto was already making to bolt if somehow this 'Gai' involved them in any way…there was no way in _hell_ he was doing any of that.

Kakashi seemed to be completely ignoring him. "Hmm? You said something?"

Gai, apparently, found this to be the worst insult he could be given, and proceeded to start crying and shouting things about being 'hip' and 'rivals'…Naruto decided that it was probably a better endeavor simply _not_ to listen to him if at all possible, and apparently Sasuke agreed. Before they could ask Kakashi any more questions, however, a waitress came by, apparently to get their orders.

Kakashi looked up and gave the waitress another perverted stare before he seemed to shake himself somewhat. "I'll have Sake, chilled." Kakashi looked at Naruto and Sasuke both who simply shrugged. "I'll have the same." Sasuke just nodded at that, showing that he was of the same mind, and the waitress looked dumbfounded.

"Uh…you two…you're what, twelve? Isn't the drinking age like, twenty?" Naruto scowled again, and Sasuke made ready a retort before Kakashi just waved his hand dismissively. "They already had that discussion with the bouncer…and he ended up on the floor in a pool of blood. They're old enough to drink."

The waitress's eyes widened slightly before she giggled and turned around to fulfill their order. Sasuke smirked and Naruto just chuckled. "I think I like this place already." Sasuke nodded at Naruto's opinion, offering up an even wider smirk than he had before. Kakashi simply eye smiled and glanced at Gai who had sat down at the table next to Sasuke at some point during their conversation with the waitress. He already had a sake bottle in hand.

They sat there in silence for a moment before Naruto realized that there was more they needed to know. "Kakashi-sensei…what exactly is this place?"

Kakashi looked pensive for a moment…rubbing his chin thoughtfully…before he eye smiled again. "This place was set up right after the second great Shinobi war…it's been run by the same family the whole time. It's a ninja-only bar…and it's the place that most ninja in Konoha come to relax after missions or just drown their sorrows in sake. Like I said before, most ninja's don't learn about it until they hit Chuunin, mostly because they're either old enough to _legally_ drink by then, or because Genin simply don't ask. The first time I came here was with my sensei after a particularly bad mission…"

Kakashi chuckled here and even Gai looked amused. "The same bouncer that you guys just tore up picked a fight with me…and being that I was young and brash at the time, I responded much like you did, except I left him with a scar running down his chest that you can still see to this day. Put him in the hospital for a week. Gai here left him with a cracked skull the first time _he_ ever came. That guy's been beat up more by people he's picked fights with than anyone else I know."

Naruto couldn't help but openly laugh at that, and even Sasuke had an amused smile on his face. Kakashi made him seem like some sort of glorified training post…perhaps he was. Naruto made a mental note to pick a fight with the guy again at some point…he seemed to be a good stress outlet. Sasuke simply resolved to learn the technique that Naruto used to heal the guy's leg after the fight…he was still very curious about that.

"Ne, Naruto…what was that technique you used to heal that guy's leg?" Naruto looked at him for a moment before he shook his head and chuckled. "It's a medical technique I learned today. It's sort of a last resort technique that I only use when I absolutely need to. It hurts like hell if I use it too long."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow and nodded. That wasn't exactly the sort of technique he was tremendously interested in. Looking over at Kakashi, he noticed that he was now tremendously interested in staring at another woman who was passing them by, and Gai was apparently ranting on and on about rivalries or spandex or…something. He effectively tuned him out of his mind.

After a few more moments, their drinks arrived and Naruto removed his mask to sip his chilled Sake. Sasuke took this opportunity to study Naruto's face more clearly. His image of Naruto was a blue eyed whisker faced blonde with an almost cherubic face and tanned skin. The image of the 'new' Naruto was slightly different. Cleft whisker marks, black eyes, longer face, darker tan…he had seemingly aged a few years overnight. Sasuke scowled inwardly. What on earth could have changed him so fundamentally, so quickly?

Naruto noticed Sasuke looking intently at his face and sighed. Kakashi, noticing Naruto's state of discomfort, and Sasuke's intent stare, decided that they needed some 'privacy'. He sighed. He supposed he could 'take one for the team'.

"Gai, what say we go over to a different table for our drinking contest?" Gai looked over at him astonished for a moment before comprehension dawned on his face, along with his normal idiotic façade.

"Yosh! Rival, we shall drink until we can no longer stand! I shall beat you yet!" Gai stood up, making his normal 'good guy' pose and walked over to an adjoining table, Kakashi following soon after. He threw a look over at Naruto that clearly said 'you owe me', before he motioned for the waitress to bring them more sake. Naruto shot him a grateful look before taking a sip of his own sake.

A few moments passed before Naruto sighed. "You're wondering how I changed, right?"

Sasuke looked startled for a moment before he tentatively nodded. More than anything, he wondered how Naruto got so strong, but if the story of how he changed was interwoven with that, then he would gladly hear it.

Taking another sip, Naruto got a reminiscent look on his face. "I'm…not really sure what I can and can't…or rather, what I want and don't want to tell you…but…" He sighed heavily and maneuvered himself to be more comfortable in his chair, noticing that Sasuke was now tremendously attentive. "…A few nights ago, I found out a secret about myself that had been kept from me for quite some time. It involved my family and…some other things…but it ended up in me finally finding out about my past and about my heritage."

Sasuke looked confused before Naruto continued. "I ended up inheriting that house you came to…as well as a few other things that my parents left me. Over and above that, my parents left me a basement full of jutsu to learn. That's how I got so strong…that, and the fact that with the amount of chakra I have, I can use Kage Bunshin to speed up my learning process. Whatever a Kage Bunshin learns in its time 'alive' is passed on to the original when he is dispelled…hence, I have Kage Bunshin train in chakra control, or jutsu, or…what have you, and then when I dispel them, I get that training back. Ostensibly, I can train for weeks or months in the space of one one thousandth of that time."

As Naruto took another sip of his sake, Sasuke stared at Naruto with an incredulous stare. "…Kage Bunshin can do _that_? That's…that's _amazing_…you could have trained one hundred years by the time you're twenty or younger…" Sasuke seemed to stare off into space as he mused the possibilities that were opened to you with that particular training method. It staggered the mind to think that if you had enough chakra, you could literally speed up your training by _years_ at a time.

Naruto smirked and nodded. "I'm basically the only person who can do this type of training, however…seeing as my…bloodline…is unique to me only. No one, not even the Hokage, has access to the raw amount of chakra that I do. It's really…it's something only I can do. I'm sorry." Naruto watched as Sasuke's expression drooped slightly and Naruto couldn't help but cringe. For someone like Sasuke, who craved power so completely, to hear that something like that was simply out of your reach had to be crushing.

Sasuke took another sip of his sake as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that he simply couldn't catch up to Naruto, no matter what he did. Naruto had a training method…a _bloodline_, that simply allowed him to surpass _everyone_…and Sasuke simply couldn't compete with that. He once again felt the familiar stirrings of jealousy rear their head in his mind, and he tried to suppress them as much as he could.

Then again, this threw everything out the window…Naruto didn't gain power through friendship and bonds, nor did he gain power through anything like he thought he did…he had a bloodline and a technique that gave him power, and that's basically _it_. Sasuke couldn't help but scowl. It wasn't as if he had been lied to…more that he simply hadn't been told the whole story. He sighed. He was effectively back to square one.

Naruto, seeing Sasuke's facial expressions, extrapolated that Sasuke was feeling jealous again. Undoubtedly, his newfound beliefs on 'true power' were being challenged by the fact that Naruto had things that he didn't, and could _never_ have. Naruto debated in his head if it was worth it to tell him exactly the price he had to pay for such power. It could change Sasuke's perceptions on _everything_, or it could make him even more jealous than he was liable to be anyway. He mused for a few seconds before he finally came to a conclusion.

"Sasuke, wait here for a sec, ok?" Sasuke was stirred from his thoughts for only a second before he nodded, and Naruto walked over to the table where Kakashi was downing sake like it was going out of style. Kakashi, seeing Naruto's approach, put down his sake bottle and turned his gaze to the blonde, giving him a questioning glance with his one eye.

"Kakashi-sensei…could you…do that 'privacy' jutsu thing on my table?" Naruto had come to the decision that if anyone was to know…Sasuke probably should. It would either be the biggest mistake of his life, or the greatest triumph…either way; he wanted to get it out of the way.

Kakashi's eye widened considerably, and even Gai looked serious. "…Naruto…are you sure…you want to tell him…?" Kakashi looked genuinely concerned for Naruto, and Naruto couldn't help but smile slightly. He just nodded, and Kakashi's eye drooped slightly before he too nodded his consent.

With a few hand seals, Kakashi performed a jutsu and then put his hand on the ground. A small, almost unseen tendril of chakra made its way over to his table, and after a few seconds, the genjutsu…or whatever it was…was complete. Nodding to Kakashi, he walked back to his own table, bracing himself to tell Sasuke one of his biggest secrets.

When he got back to the table, Sasuke was still musing on…something…that Naruto didn't quite need to know about. With another sigh and sip of sake, he cleared his throat to get Sasuke's attention. When he looked up at him, he lowered his own eyes and mentally shook himself of doubt.

"Sasuke…not everything I told you about myself was…_entirely_ true. You have to understand that…well…" He braced himself and tried to find the right words, as Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at him, coinciding with the start of a scowl.

Naruto sighed again and took a quick glug of confidence from his sake bottle. "What I'm about to tell you is one of the villages most well kept S-class secrets. What I tell you tonight can be told to _no one_ outside of those who already know. I need to know that you understand this before I go on."

Sasuke's eyes widened considerably, and after a few moments, he nodded tentatively. Naruto shifted his eyes to the ground and closed them for a second, gathering his thoughts before he plunged into the description.

"Twelve years ago, the Yondaime Hokage 'defeated' the Kyuubi no Kitsune…saving the village of Konoha and all its inhabitants from a grisly and untimely death. To do this, he gave up his life, using a jutsu known as 'Shiki Fuujin' to 'kill' the beast and end the threat of the Kyuubi forever." He paused slightly, seeing Sasuke's eyes widen even more.

"However…what the younger generation knows about the Kyuubi is somewhat false. In the academy, they teach us that the Kyuubi was killed by the Yondaime…and this is not true. Rather, the Kyuubi could _not_ be killed…she was a greater demon at the time, and no mortal could _kill_ her without completely destroying her demonic side first. Instead, the Yondaime _sealed_ her. Not into any object…no inanimate object could hold the Kyuubi without the seal breaking…he was forced to seal her into a newborn baby." He paused again, seeing that Sasuke's eyes were now as wide as they could possibly be, and his hand was shaking ever so slightly. He sighed again.

"Sasuke…_I_ was that newborn baby. I am the container for the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

For a moment, everything seemed to be silent. The sounds of the bar didn't reach Naruto's ears, the sight of Kakashi giving him concerned glances didn't faze him, and even the relatively blank yet fearful and astonished gaze of Sasuke didn't trouble him. He waited with bated breath as Sasuke processed the information he had just given him. Sasuke would hate him, fear him, shun him…or maybe…just maybe…

"That…explains a lot. It really does. I…you…" Sasuke paused for a moment before he raised his eyes once more, this time, they were narrowed more, but they held no malice. Naruto allowed his hopes to get up that maybe Sasuke wouldn't hate him or fear him or shun him…that maybe Sasuke would understand, that Sasuke would be one of the few that he could trust…

"That's why you're looked at with hate and loathing, isn't it? Why people don't like you…why the people at the academy always picked on you…why you live alone…because…people see you as the Kyuubi, don't they? They don't see Naruto at all…they just see…wait…Kyuubi is a _her_?!"

Naruto couldn't help but sweat-drop…and then laugh. He really laughed. Sasuke didn't hate him…at least, he didn't think he did. Sasuke accepted him, or at the very least, he _understood_. The first person from his generation that he had told about the Kyuubi had actually _understood_ what he had gone through…what he had endured. He laughed until tears came out of his eyes. It was a hell of a weight to hold, not knowing if someone would judge you for something you didn't do. He wasn't sure if he was happy, confused or just plain _relieved_…but whatever it was, it felt good.

He noticed that after a while, Sasuke gave him a confused glance. Naruto tried his best to contain his laughter, but no matter what he did, he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "Sorry…hah…I guess…I just thought you might hate me like everyone else does. I'm relieved and more than a little bit happy…sorry…didn't mean to confuse you."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at him before he smirked. "Why on earth would I hate you for something like _that_? If I hate you, it's because you're annoying, loud, and your hair irritates me." Naruto's smile changed to an amused scowl almost instantly.

"_My_ hair? I'm not the one with a ducks ass glued to my head. Having blonde hair like mine is _distinguished_…yours is just…_emo_." Sasuke's smirk changed to his own version of an amused scowl, and his eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. Naruto couldn't help but have the corners of his mouth quirk into a bit of a smile, and Sasuke's own mouth curved upward ever so slightly. After a few seconds, both boys couldn't help but laugh again…the effects of the sake, the stress, the relief and perhaps, even the beginning of a bond being too much for them to take.

Minutes passed in silence as Naruto felt the privacy screen drop around them. Kakashi gave him a warm smile, and even Gai looked to be relieved. They had undoubtedly seen the two laughing together. Naruto sent Kakashi another grateful stare before he turned his attention back to Sasuke. He took another sip of confidence from his bottle and then sighed.

"There's…more to it than that…but for now, that's all I can really tell you. I hope that it clears a few things up for you. For the power I have…I had to pay a price…and I had no choice in the matter. I'm just making the best of a bad situation." Naruto's mood sobered and he considered telling Sasuke about his mother's own heritage, but decided against it for the moment. The moment for that would come soon enough.

Sasuke's own face sobered considerably and he nodded. "You'll tell me if you want to, I guess. I…I'm not sure if I could have taken something like that and still turn out as…_relatively_ sane as you did. It doesn't stop me from still being a little jealous…but…I can certainly understand more now than I did before."

Naruto grinned and took another sip of his sake. He looked at the table and couldn't help but sigh in relief once more. It felt good to have a weight like that off his shoulders. Sasuke accepted him…he may not accept the fact that he still couldn't train like him…but nonetheless, at least, Sasuke _understood_. At the moment, that's all that mattered.

He then remembered his original offer of training. He scrunched his face up in thought for a moment before an idea hit him. "Sasuke…we can still train together. I'll obviously be training at a faster pace…but if you want, we can combine our efforts. It has to be better than training alone, right? Besides, Kyuubi can teach you a few things."

Sasuke looked up, startled. "Wait…Kyuubi is _teaching_ you? How in the hell did that happen?"

Naruto just snickered. "It's a long story…I'll tell you sometime, but suffice it to say that she's not as evil as you might think. You might think it's morbidly funny, but the whole situation was just a result of teenage rebellion, really."

Hearing this, Kyuubi bit his shoulder rather forcefully, earning her a glower from Naruto. Seeing this interaction, Sasuke raised both eyebrows, but said nothing for the moment. If they were going to be training together anyway, the information would be forthcoming at some point.

Instead, he just sighed. "I suppose we _could_ train together. If Kyuubi is a good enough sensei to make a good ninja out of someone like _you_, then she could do wonders for a ninja like _me_." Naruto glared at Sasuke forcefully for a moment before he smirked. Sasuke smiled for a moment before taking another sip of his sake. It felt _normal_ again.

Naruto felt the same way. They were bantering back and forth like old friends, insulting each other, but putting no malice or bad vibes behind it whatsoever. Naruto, at that moment, realized that they didn't really need to have some over dramatic talk on bonds and friendship and other such things…rather, they simply needed to understand and acknowledge each other. It wouldn't be easy…but…perhaps, it wouldn't be hard either.

Both Genin watched as Kakashi downed bottles of Sake without removing his mask, seemingly oblivious to the effects the alcohol _should_ have been having on him. Gai, on the other hand, was barely sitting up straight, his eyes half drooped and his speech all but unintelligible. Naruto couldn't help but laugh. It seemed as though Gai would be running those laps around Konoha after all. He made a mental note to get Kakashi to teach him how to eat and drink without removing his mask.

After a while, Naruto began to feel the effects of the Sake more forcefully, and utilizing what little part of his brain wasn't affected by the alcohol, he decided to call it a night. He motioned to Sasuke that he was leaving, and to his slight surprise, Sasuke too looked as though he was about ready to leave. Both Genin bade their Sensei farewell and began walking home…curiously enough, in the same direction.

After a while, they got to the intersection where Sasuke would have to part ways. Sasuke paused for a moment, before he sighed and looked at Naruto with a blank expression. "Tomorrow…we start training tomorrow."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow behind his mask, but nodded. Sasuke too just nodded and turned to walk away, waving his hand slightly while putting his other hand in his pocket. Naruto smiled. It wasn't exactly a deep familial bond…yet…but…it would get there. Eventually…Naruto would be able to call Sasuke a friend, and family as well. He turned and made his way up the road to his own house, a smile on his face the whole way.

----------------------------------------------------------

A shadowed figure walked into a dimly lit room, flanked on either side by what looked like ANBU.

He sat down and cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the other occupant of the room. "It is as you suspected, Taichou."

The larger figure behind the desk seemed to smirk slightly. "Excellent. This makes things so much easier. I surmise that you have already told _him_?"

The smaller figure nodded. "He has been appraised, Taichou. I imagine that he is of the same mind as you are."

The larger figure just nodded and sighed, before taking a drag off of his pipe. "No matter his goals, he is simply a pawn in the grand scheme of things. Remember your _own_ loyalties first, Kabuto."

Kabuto nodded again, his expressionless face caught in the glow of the now glowing embers of the man's pipe. "My loyalties are as solid as the great tree itself, Taichou."

The larger figure chuckled darkly. "I know they are, Kabuto. You have not failed me yet, and I do not expect that you ever will. Continue with your surveillance procedures, and report to me daily. See to it that you keep your _other_ superior in the dark as much as possible."

Kabuto nodded again before getting up and leaving the room, flanked yet again by his two ANBU escorts. The larger figure behind the desk smirked once more. Naruto could use the Kyuubi at will…Konoha's little weapon was becoming even more powerful than they had thought. He took another drag off of his pipe and took out another report on the current status of the Hidden Village of Sound.

"What will you do…Orochimaru? I have moved _my_ piece…where shall you move yours?" The figure cackled softly, watching as the light in the room shifted slightly. His other operative had arrived.

"Shadow Kabuto. He means to betray me." The shadowed figure that had entered the room nodded and departed just as quickly, off to find his target. The large figure smirked again. Once he had Naruto…nothing could stop him.

----------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------

A/N: Long chapter, eh? Next chapter involves a time skip, and the tentative start of the wave arc.

**IMPORTANT:** I have decided on the final configuration of the harem. There will be no more added after this, and there will be none rescinded. Sorry if your girl isn't on here, but…it's _my_ story, damn it:D

Naruto will be paired with: Kyuubi/Tenten/Female Haku/Hinata/Ino. That is the final configuration. No more, no less. Again, sorry if your girl isn't on it, but I simply had to make the call at some point.

Also…chapters probably won't be coming at the one-a-week level that they've been coming at thus far. Writing 17-20k words every week is a bit…tedious. You can count on speedier updates than usual for most stories of this length, however. Especially now that we're off and running.

Until next time!


	8. The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter eight. Yay!

I want to explain a few things that I've been getting a fair amount of reviews and PM's on, just for the record.

I do not believe at all that Haku was actually a boy. I have my reasons for this, and there are several theories both for and against it, but in the end, you have to go by appearances. Haku was _extremely_ effeminate…yes, boys can look effeminate, but to such an extent? I don't believe so. Take it or leave it, Femhaku stays.

I had someone complain that I'm listing off Naruto's accomplishments in a boring way. I'm sorry for that, but it really beats having to stop in the middle of a battle to explain a new technique he busts out, or to explain how he gained such a skill. My stories are based on three things: character development, plot development, and fighting. His skills are something that I want to write about, and then get out of the way, so that he can use them. I also want to make them believable.

I am a firm believer that Sasuke wasn't _as_ much of a douche bag as he is portrayed to be until he received his curse seal. The Curse seal fucks with his mind. To those who think I'm writing Sasuke OOC, or to Sasuke haters in general…I don't hate Sasuke. I don't LIKE Sasuke either. I'm writing him as I see fit. Deal with it :).

Over and above that, there's not much to say about this chapter. As always, reviews are what keep me alive, and trust me, I read them all. Please enjoy!

Do I really have to do a disclaimer for every chapter?

----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

Lord, what fools these mortals be.

She restrained herself from thinking of just what Konoha had been missing out on. It would do no good to dwell on the past. For now, all she could do was marvel at Naruto's sheer _tenacity_ when it came to training…as well as his outright _astronomical_ improvement over the past month.

Even with the impression seal…if Konoha had trained Naruto…if they had really focused…he would have been a power the likes of which hadn't been seen since the Yondaime himself by the time he was eighteen. As it was, in only about a month's time, he had come so far, so fast…it was staggering. He was a completely different person…personality, knowledge, power, prestige…Naruto had surpassed each and every single expectation Kyuubi had had for him, and then some. It was truly a mind-fucker.

Sasuke, too…after a bit of getting used to it…had come a long way. His first reaction to seeing Kyuubi's human form…especially after seeing the little fox kit he thought was just a pet transform…had been nothing short of comical. He had literally just _gaped_ at her for a few minutes before he had thrown a flurry of questions at Naruto that they had spent the better part of a day answering…or not answering as it were. After his bout of confusion had been taken care of however, he had set himself to training so hard that Kyuubi had wondered if perhaps the boy wasn't pushing himself a bit _too_ hard. Of course, when she had asked this, Sasuke had all but blown up at her, telling her that there was absolutely no way that he would allow himself to do anything _but_ train to his limits. She had smirked at this, especially after he had all but killed himself doing the same physical conditioning that Naruto went through.

Unfortunately for him, however, he didn't have the benefit of Kyuubi's chakra. He had been forced to go through the trouble of obtaining weights for himself, seeing as how it was impossible for him _not_ to atrophy. While it _had_ slowed him down…and on more than one occasion, injured him…in the end, it had proved very fruitful. He was much faster, much more agile, and slightly more bulky than he had been before. She almost giggled at that last part…if anything, it had served to endear him even further to his fan-girl base. It seemed as though he simply couldn't catch a break.

Both boys had simply been able to _absorb_ jutsu after jutsu at a staggering pace. After Sasuke had all but broken into the Uchiha jutsu vault, he had been training more jutsu than even Naruto had…at least, at first. Sasuke probably knew more fire jutsu than anyone else his age at this point, although Naruto would quickly catch up at some point. Naruto had focused more on learning the _nature_ of his chakra first, as opposed to simply learning jutsu as he went along. Asuma's scroll, coupled with Kakashi's own small amount of tutelage had allowed him to learn earth, wind and fire natures rather quickly with the help of Kage Bunshin…and while he most certainly wasn't a master of any of them yet, he had enough proficiency in them to learn at least B ranked elemental jutsu, if not A with a little more effort.

What surprised her most, however, was the fact that Naruto had been advancing in Ryuudou _very_ quickly. Considering that Ryuudou was basically the only thing he couldn't train with Kage Bunshin, his progress was simply unprecedented. He still trained his chakra field with Kage Bunshin, but movements _within_ Ryuudou couldn't be trained by anything but the original…seeing as how the user needed to commit the movements to muscle-memory…a purely physical attribute.

If anything, Naruto had _improved_ on the style. While most times, Ryuudou was used as simply a means to move around your opponent and strike quickly and quietly, Naruto had shown that it could be used for simply brute-force attacking as well. You could charge your opponent quickly, maneuver your legs and expel chakra, and become some sort of a whirling dervish at close range. Ryuudou allowed the user, in Naruto's case anyway, to move quickly, quietly, viciously and with strong, purposeful attacks. It was suited both for ambush and for grouped-fighting…and Naruto had shown that its versatility knew no bounds.

Against Kyuubi's wishes, however, he had also studied more about sword _style_ along with the Ryuudou itself. He hadn't trained kata or even a particular style of sword fighting…rather, he had learned the most efficient movements one could make with a sword, and the general ways that swordsmen moved. He had then adapted this knowledge directly to fighting within the flow itself, allowing him to be a true swordsman, while at the same time, moving like a ninja. Kyuubi had been forced to admit to herself that the Ryuudou with style was vastly superior to the Ryuudou _without_ style…and with the way Naruto was using Ryuudou, it came as no surprise that he had been able to combine everything together to form it into a devastating style of sword-movement that was sure to decimate any enemy he came across…assuming that said enemy wasn't simply _faster_ than he was.

Jutsu-wise, however, he was lacking…at least compared to his training partner. Over and above the three jutsu he had learned earlier in the month, he had only learned two more…his reasoning had been that once he learned the _nature_ of his chakra, the jutsu he learned would be that much more powerful, not to mention much easier to learn. While this was undoubtedly true, learning the _natures_ of his chakra had taken up _quite_ a bit of time, and he had only really had the time to learn two more jutsu during his training.

One of them, Kyuubi had found to be _very_ interesting. It was a jutsu that allowed the user to use Kage Bunshin as it related to weaponry…specifically, shuriken and kunai. The jutsu itself was known simply as Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, however, after some experimentation, they had found that it worked with just about any weapon they could get their hands on, assuming you had enough chakra to actually multiply them. It was a _tremendously_ useful jutsu, and Kyuubi had been left wondering if perhaps it would work on grenades just as well.

The second jutsu he had learned had been the Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…or rather, a version _of_ it. The real Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu used hand seals to cause the chakra in a Kage Bunshin to remotely detonate, effectively creating a kamikaze Kage Bunshin. This required _very_ precise chakra control, however…and Naruto simply wasn't at the level where his control was _enough_ to use the jutsu. Instead, he found that if he pumped enough chakra into an already made Kage Bunshin and then sent it on its way, he could simply allow the Kage Bunshin's consciousness give the order to detonate itself as soon as it reached its goal. It wasn't perfect…but it was the best he could do. The only benefit that it had, however, was that the explosions were of a magnitude far greater than that of a regular Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…simply due to the fact that there was more chakra in _his_ version.

He had also learned _much_ more about anatomy than he had known before. He was at the point, medically speaking, where he could probably mend bones without having to use _her_ chakra to do so. This had been evidenced by the fact that every time Sasuke injured himself, Naruto had been able to effectively heal him up to the point where he could continue training. Sasuke had still had to go to the hospital a number of times…but, if anything, Sasuke had been a _very_ effective guinea pig for Naruto's medical abilities. It wasn't exactly as if Sasuke was complaining. Naruto's ability to heal him had sped up his training by a fair pace, and Kyuubi had noticed that Sasuke didn't worry one bit about getting injured while training anymore.

Naruto had also set up an impromptu chemistry lab in the infamous basement of his house, prompting both Kakashi and the Hokage to have a small conniption fit. They had argued heavily against the idea…citing that if he were to somehow mess up and blow himself to smithereens, that all of the knowledge that the basement contained would be taken with it. Naruto had assuaged their fears by completely redesigning the layout of the basement, separating his chemistry lab and the jutsu cabinets from one another by a rather effective firewall. This hadn't exactly gone over _completely_ well with Kakashi and the Hokage…this being because they both didn't exactly want to see _Naruto_ blown to smithereens either…but Naruto had simply put his foot down, and there had been nothing either of them had been able to do about it.

As it was, they had been able to produce five completed grenades in the space of one month. It had taken _a lot_ of investigating and outright footwork to gather the materials that Naruto had needed to make them, but by the end, he had amassed a small stockpile of munitions-grade components…probably enough to make a few hundred grenades. The materials for the aptly named 'flash bang' had been something they hadn't even delved into…it had been hard enough to acquire the materials for simple grenades. They both figured that at some point, they'd be able to acquire them…but they didn't see it as a priority.

Over and above all of his accomplishments, however, he had still been unable to master the Rasengan. He had the 'second stage', as it were, completely mastered…however controlling it in its 'third stage' had proven to be all but impossible. Kyuubi and Naruto both had tried everything short of completely unsealing the Shiki Fuujin to try to get her chakra to stop interfering with his own…but none of it seemed to work. They had theories that if enough suppression seals were released, the problem would be taken care of…but as it was, he was taking about as much of her chakra as he could handle. Naruto had resigned himself to the fact that the Rasengan was simply out of his reach at this point…although, Kyuubi had seen him on more than one occasion thinking about ways to master it.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had taken a much different route in his own training. He had focused almost completely on fire jutsu, physical conditioning, and taijutsu, to the exclusion of almost everything else. He had expressed _a lot_ of interest in learning the Ryuudou, but hearing that it took more chakra than he was able to produce had dampened his desire somewhat. Instead, he had learned a very Sharingan-centric form of taijutsu that he had found in the Uchiha vaults…even though he didn't yet possess the bloodline. His reasoning had been that he wanted to be well versed in it before he activated the Sharingan, and Kyuubi had been forced to agree. He was rather effective with the style, even _without_ the bloodline active, and she wondered just how good he would be once he gained the famous mirror-wheel eye.

All of this brought up a problem that Kyuubi had found somewhat recently in Naruto's own training. Using the Ryuudou, the user could move at tremendously fast speeds…however, the human eye was only so fast itself. Kyuubi had never had a problem with it, seeing as how her eyes were most definitely _not_ human…and her sensei had always been able to simply _discern_ his surroundings by using his chakra to create images in his mind, not unlike radar. Naruto, on the other hand, did not have the chakra control necessary to project a 'radar', nor did he have Kyuubi's eyes. They had both settled on the fact that he would have to move at a set slower pace of Ryuudou until he activated his Sharingan, which would undoubtedly allow him to see much better while going at much higher speeds.

Naruto also now had his enhanced senses activated _all_ the time. Kyuubi had drilled into him the importance of being aware of your surroundings in every possible way, and so they had trained to make sure that he was able to keep his senses alert and active at all times, so as to be aware of attackers, ambushers, and just being able to track at a moment's notice. It had definitely taken some getting used to on Naruto's part, but he had eventually been able to simply _do_ it without thinking about it much.

His progress on both hand seals and blood seals had been producing rapid results as well. He was well versed at this point in the purpose of hand seals in general, and had a general knowledge of what each one did. Blood seals were a bit harder, considering that they required memorization of certain runic combinations as well as a knowledge of seal arrays and how they worked…but considering that he had Kyuubi 'looking over his shoulder' as it were made it much easier. Her knowledge of seals was very thorough, and it had allowed Naruto to learn about blood seals much more quickly than usual.

For all of this though, there was a price…his social life. For the past month, he had seen neither hide nor hair of Hinata or even Tenten, although not seeing Tenten was for a good reason. In preparation for the Chuunin exams, Gai had been training them almost nonstop, as well as taking them on quite a few C ranked missions. Any free time that Tenten had was spent either sleeping, eating, or at her families shop, and she apparently hadn't had any opportunities to spend time with Naruto, except for a few times when they had seen each other at Ichiraku ramen.

Hinata, on the other hand, was a bit confusing. Naruto, on several occasions, had invited Hinata over for tea or just conversation, and even once, had invited her for a spar…however she had declined all of them politely, citing 'prior engagements' or sickness or…various other excuses that Kyuubi had found all too convenient. Naruto had even talked to Hiashi on the matter briefly, but he had not been forthcoming with answers, simply because he too was baffled. All parties involved had simply made the decision to 'back off' as it were from pressing Hinata about it…they figured that she would come around at some point, they just didn't know when or how.

The most incredible change in general, however, was the fact that Naruto's reputation in the village had begun to change seemingly overnight after the Hyuuga dinner, both with the civilian population and the ninja population. Once word had spread that _the_ Hyuuga Hiashi had invited _that_ boy over for a _private_ dinner, people had begun to question their beliefs on the subject of the 'demon boy'. The civilian population's general opinion of Naruto rose considerably…even if it still left him in deficit. The ninja's opinion of him, however, was not that influenced by the fact that he was now all but nobility.

Instead, the Shinobi population seemed to be impressed that he and the 'Uchiha heir' had both started, and finished a bar fight at the infamous Shinobi-only bar that seemingly had no name. It seemed to be almost a right of passage to most ninja, and the fact that they had 'passed' it at such a young age was something that apparently, garnered them both respect. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke had been back to the bar since…however, they had heard from Kakashi that they were very much welcome any time.

Kyuubi sat in the training grounds, watching as the sun set slowly in the west, while Naruto was finishing up working on the Ryuudou. Sasuke was currently catching his breath off to the side after working on his taijutsu. She smiled. It was peaceful, if not a bit hectic. Sasuke hadn't turned out to be quite the asshole that Naruto had portrayed him to be…he had actually been polite and sociable to her on more than one occasion. Naruto too had seemed to mature greatly over the last month, becoming less and less the 'old' Naruto as time passed. She had various theories on exactly what _caused_ this transformation…but none of them involved anything malicious.

The most probable theory was that the Kage Bunshin's mental fatigue on his mind had forced him to 'mature' prematurely. If the training was being done weeks at a time in the space of days, then perhaps his mind was maturing just as quickly. She had wondered just what this could mean, but she had also noticed that no matter how much he _had_ matured, the Naruto that she knew and…respected…still dwelled in his husk. As long as he didn't become a power-obsessed madman, she was ok with however he 'grew up'.

She mused over this for a moment before allowing herself a small chuckle. 'Growing up' seemed to be something that _Sakura_ simply wasn't doing. Even after she had heard about Naruto and Sasuke's training regimen together, she had still maintained Sasuke's superiority, even over Sasuke's frank admissions to the contrary. Kyuubi had a feeling that Sakura didn't really _believe_ what she was saying, nor did she really put any heart into it…but rather, she wanted to be acknowledged by Sasuke in the worst way. The fact that Sasuke only acknowledged a few people, including Naruto, seemed to both infuriate and depress her at the same time. At the very least, however, she was back on speaking terms with Naruto, and the two had gotten back into a 'relationship' that resembled, at least somewhat, the relationship they had had before. Sakura would dote on Sasuke, Sasuke would ignore Sakura, Naruto would ignore Sakura, Sakura would insult Naruto, Naruto would ignore Sakura…it went on and on and on, and if anyone asked Kyuubi, it was simply _boring_.

Kyuubi realized that during her musings, Naruto had finished his Ryuudou training, and Sasuke too had caught his breath. All three saw the sun slowly setting in the west, an event that usually marked the end of their sessions. Sasuke got up and nodded to Naruto slightly before he began to walk off, and Naruto returned the nod just before he fell down onto his butt and started heaving to catch his breath. Kyuubi too got up, and after exchanging polite adieus with Sasuke, made her way over to Naruto.

She kneeled down beside him with a smirk. "Pushed yourself rather hard there at the end, didn't you? That didn't have anything to do with me kicking your butt in Ryuudou again, did it?"

Naruto gave her a pointed scowl, his mask laid aside for the moment so he could gulp down copious amounts of water. "_You_ can see while you're moving in the flow, _I_ can't. Besides, you've been at this for how long? Of course I'm not going to catch up to an old woman in _experience_."

A vein bulged on Kyuubi's forehead…a curious occurrence seeing as how she technically didn't have blood vessels. "_Old_ woman? You think I'm simply some _old_ woman?! Just wait until training tomorrow, I'll show you what this _old woman_ can do!" She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, snubbing Naruto completely.

Naruto just smirked and went back to drinking his water. He knew _exactly_ which buttons to push in Kyuubi to get her riled up…and she knew exactly which buttons to push in _him_ as well. It was a strange relationship they shared, that was for certain. If anyone saw them, they might think them a married couple or something. Naruto just laughed. Married? With Kyuubi? The idea in and of itself was laughable.

The two sat there in companionable silence for a few minutes before Naruto's breathing finally calmed down enough for him to think about moving. With a grunt, he pushed himself up and offered a hand up to Kyuubi, who took it without complaint. If Kyuubi was good for anything, she had taught him at least somewhat about how to act as a gentleman should. Considering how much Kyuubi had done for him, it was the least he could do.

Naruto walked not back into the house, but into the onsen, where he usually took his after-training soak. It helped his muscles and entire body simply _relax_, and it was one of the few pleasures, aside from ramen and sake, that he allowed himself. Taking off his various articles of clothing and weaponry, he stepped into the warm and inviting water, feeling the water soak into his pores and loosen his tense muscles. He grinned and rested his head on the stone edge, closing his eyes in the process. If there was a heaven, this _had_ to be it.

His thoughts subconsciously drifted to the progress he had made in the past month. He had made great strides towards improving his skills, that much he would admit freely…but he still felt as though he was simply using borrowed power. He had struck upon that epiphany earlier in the month, realizing that none of this training would have been possible without help from Kyuubi. It had dampened his spirits somewhat…the thought that his power came from something other than himself was a bit disheartening in the fact that if he _didn't_ have the Kyuubi, he would probably be much less powerful than he was now.

He tempered this however, with the knowledge that if he didn't have the Kyuubi…undoubtedly, someone else _would_. He had no idea what it was like to be _without_ the Kyuubi…as he had simply lived with her for all of his life, even if he hadn't known about it for the majority of it. He had always healed quickly, always had freakish stamina, always lived with the stigma…so in a sense, he couldn't imagine what life would be like if he _didn't_ possess the Kyuubi within him. He _had_ thought that perhaps he was simply over thinking it…but he wondered…what would life be like if he had never been a Jinchuuriki?

He forced these somewhat depressing thoughts out of his mind, preferring to focus on the absolute bliss that he was currently experiencing. His joints were popping back into proper alignment, his muscles were like jelly, his mind was free and clear and his body felt the rush of endorphins that one usually got after training. Life was good, he decided. Whether or not he had the Kyuubi, or whether he was a pariah within Konoha at this very moment mattered not. What mattered was that he was here now, and that he was well on his way to his goal. He smiled. Dwelling on the past inevitably dampened the future.

After a few more minutes of blissful relaxation, he realized that there was a slight rumbling sound emanating from his midsection. He nearly frowned. His body was hungry. He supposed it was to be expected. After so much hard work, even _with_ the Kyuubi's chakra supplementing his strength, he would still require nourishment. Besides, he hadn't been to Ichiraku for almost a week…and they were probably frantic to see him, considering that he was their largest source of income.

With an exaggerated sigh, he pulled himself from the warm water and put a towel on, trudging back inside. Kyuubi was still in her human form, napping quietly on the couch. Naruto smiled at the sight of it…she looked cute like that. Every once in a while her foot would twitch spasmodically and her mouth would curve…and Naruto chuckled heartily when she muttered something about a rabbit and 'morsel' in the same sentence. He filed that away to use as future blackmail material.

He trudged upstairs and donned his usual attire before exiting the house as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake Kyuubi. After all, she needed her sleep just as much as he did, and she had been working probably as hard as he was. She had been training frantically to increase the amount of chakra she could hold, and she had even been studying various books they had found so that she could work on a way of making herself an actual body. So far, all she had been able to discern is that she needed an equal amount of fleshy material to the relative size of the body to be created. It had been a bit disheartening to learn that they needed such a thing to recreate her body…but they had decided that at some point, they would be able to do it. They just needed more information.

Naruto began his trek towards Ichiraku slowly, hands in his pockets and his gait relaxed. With his newfound skill, he had very much relaxed while traveling within Konoha, confident that if a situation where someone attacked him arose, he would be able to take care of it. The probability of him being attacked by ninja was very small, and considering that most civilians…the group that hated him the most…were unskilled, meant that he didn't really worry about not being able to beat them or just outrun them. Essentially, he no longer needed to worry about it. It had been a very large weight off of his shoulders to realize this.

Along the way, he noticed that the Shinobi were nodding to him as they passed. This confused him until he remembered that most of the Shinobi were able to discern who people were behind masks. That, and he had a bit of a reputation among the Shinobi of Konoha…he was 'the Kyuubi kid who wore the white mask'. Undoubtedly, he stood out, at least to those who knew what to look for.

The civilian population was only slowly starting to catch on that 'the demon brat' had taken on a new look. Considering that he still had to take his mask off to eat or drink meant that every once in a while, people would catch him without his mask on. This lead to a few rumors regarding him, but they hadn't carried any credence until only recently. People were _just_ beginning to realize who he was behind the mask, and while this unnerved him slightly, it also caused him to smirk sometimes. He didn't care if they knew who he was anymore. They couldn't hurt him.

After a few more minutes of walking, he managed to make it to Ichiraku ramen without incident. There were only a few people sitting there, none of them Shinobi. He nearly scowled. If he took off his mask to eat there, it would mean that people would see who he was. He didn't much care that others knew, but it also meant that the old man would lose customers. He had witnessed when people insulted him before when he was at the ramen stand, and the old man had ejected them unceremoniously without any hesitation. It had always bothered Naruto that old man Ichiraku lost business on account of him, and on more than one occasion, he wondered if perhaps it wasn't better that he simply didn't eat there, for that reason alone.

He had voiced his opinion to the old man once, and he had been surprised at the seriousness and depth of the response he had gotten. At the time, he hadn't known of the Kyuubi, so his words hadn't meant _as_ much…but now, reflecting back on it, he knew how much it meant to him. The old man had simply looked him in the eyes and said, _"If they're the type of person to hate you just for being you, then I don't _want_ their business. It's as simple as that."_

Unknowingly, the old man had been one of the first people to acknowledge him for being simply _Naruto_. It had endeared him to them for life, and now that he knew about the Kyuubi, it only strengthened that feeling. The Ichiraku's were easily some of his most precious people in the entirety of the village.

This didn't stop the feeling of guilt from them losing business…but it did help. He supposed that in the end, it wasn't his decision. The Ichiraku's loved the business he _did_ give them, and he probably made up for at least some of the people that wouldn't eat there because 'that demon brat' ate there. He smiled sadly. It was the only rationalization he could come up with.

Drifting from his thoughts, he walked up to the stand and plopped himself down in the middle seat. "Oi, Oyaji…ten bowls of the usual."

Said 'Oyaji' looked up from where he was making noodles and saw Naruto before he smiled. "Miso, right? Coming right up."

Naruto just nodded before he saw the old man go into the back to get more supplies. He caught a glance of Ayame chopping up vegetables before she vanished from his sight, probably to help her father to gather materials. He simply smiled. It happened every time…they always had to go into the store room to get more ingredients when he came to the stand, considering that he rarely left before eating at least fifteen bowls of ramen. He was hungry enough tonight that he was pretty sure he could eat twenty.

After a few more minutes of waiting, ten piping hot bowls of ramen were placed in front of him. He smiled and unlatched his mask, causing a few of the patrons around him to stare at him warily. He simply ignored them. With his smile firmly in place, he muttered a subdued 'Itadakimasu' and dug in fervently.

While he was busy in the thralls of ramen nirvana, a few of the patrons of the stand looked at him with barely concealed disgust. They were three men with nondescript faces and clothing, each of them looking to the normal eye as civilians. They quickly schooled themselves into an impassive expression and paid their fee before either Naruto or the old man could notice and made their way down the street. Unseen to anyone, they ducked into an alley way to wait.

Naruto was simply enjoying his ramen, relatively oblivious to the rest of the world. He had noticed some very faint killing intent being radiated off of the men who sat to his left, but considering that they had already left, he let it drift out of his mind. He had long ago gotten used to such things. He smirked…the killing intent had been incredibly weak anyway. He was sure that he had felt more from Sakura than from those men, and that was indeed saying something.

After ordering another ten bowls and summarily downing them with fervor, he sighed contentedly. Ramen truly was his one true vice…sake, women, drugs, tobacco…nothing would ever be as alluring and addictive to him than those succulent and juicy noodles…the meat and the spices…it was a nirvana that he was too deep in to pull out from. He would forever be embroiled in the throws of his ramen addiction.

He slapped down some money on the counter and made to leave before he noticed that the old man wasn't at the counter anymore. The other customers of the stand had long past gotten through with their own respective meals, and he figured that Teuchi was simply cleaning something in the back or…something. It certainly wasn't uncommon. Nevertheless, something nagged him.

"Oi, Oyaji, that was great! Thanks for the ramen, as always." He said it a bit louder than usual, seeing as how he was aiming to get a reaction or a response from the old man before he left. After a few moments, he saw Teuchi peek his head out and give Naruto a disarming smile before he walked up to the counter and took Naruto's money. Naruto just smiled and reattached his mask before he made his way to leave the stand when he heard the old man behind him clear his throat loudly. Naruto turned back to him, wondering just what he could have wanted…he had paid the amount necessary for the ramen…and even left a tip.

As Naruto's head quirked to the side inquisitively, the old man sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Naruto, I hate to ask you this, but would it be possible for you to walk Ayame home tonight? She's apparently coming down with something, and I don't want her getting any sicker or spreading whatever it is to more people…I have to keep the stand open for a few more hours, or I would do it myself."

Naruto just smiled behind his mask. He had, in the past, walked Ayame homeund so that she could work on a way of making hersel As he began to t on several occasions. When he was younger, it was so that Ayame would be able to protect Naruto, at least somewhat, during the trek between the stand and their house, which was on the way to his own apartment. In the past few years, however, the roles had reversed, with Naruto being a ninja in training…and therefore much more capable of protecting both himself and Ayame if necessary. The old man hadn't asked him to walk her daughter home for almost six months though. He owed them this much at the very _least_.

"Absolutely. It's the least I can do." Naruto's smile behind his mask widened at seeing Teuchi's relieved expression. Naruto strode to the side entrance of the stand and waited for the old man to unlock the door, and after a few moments, a slightly sick looking Ayame came out of the stand. Her face was a bit pale and it looked as if she was sweating slightly. Naruto immediately allowed her to lean on his shoulder.

Ayame smiled down at Naruto kindly. They had grown quite close over the years, very much like brother and sister. Naruto had even gotten a 'brother' complex over Ayame, being rather protective of the girl as of late. He had even threatened one of her boyfriends once that if he hurt her in any way, he would have to deal with _him_…and coming from the 'Kyuubi brat', it had apparently meant quite a bit. Fortunately or unfortunately, it had also completely scared him away from the girl, which she had berated him for weeks for.

"Thanks Naruto-kun. It's probably just this cold that's going around. A few days of bed rest should clear it up." Naruto just nodded his head and began walking in the general direction of the Ichiraku residence, Ayame holding herself steady on his shoulder. They walked at a slow pace towards the more residential district of Konoha, all the while chatting about inane things like the weather and how Naruto's training was going, which he obliged to talk about only in the most general of terms, not wanting to have Ayame go into 'sister' mode and dote over him for working too hard.

After a while, Naruto noticed that something was up. He had picked up three distinct smells that had been following them at a longer distance, and he could feel a very weak killing intent being projected at him from behind. Ayame, apparently, was oblivious to it, but Naruto immediately changed his demeanor and set his emotions in check, ready to run or fight at a moments notice. Seeing as how he had a sick Ayame with him, he guessed that he would have to fight.

Without alerting anyone or upsetting his surrogate sister, he lowered his hand to just above his kunai pouch, and put his other hand behind his head in what was 'typical Naruto' fashion…but it put his hand much closer to the hilt of his sword for a quick draw if he needed. He also began to gather chakra to form the chakra field for Ryuudou, just in case his opponents turned out to be ninja. He had only been attacked once in his life by ninja, but it really didn't hurt to be prepared.

He noticed with a grimace that the three smells had gotten closer. He could now also smell a steady scent of booze wafting in his nostrils, but he was now having a bit of trouble differentiating between those simply traversing the street, and the three who were following him. He was in a bad situation. If someone attacked him while he was in the middle of the street, it was possible that more people would join in…and it was also possible that ninja could get involved. It wouldn't be the first time that his mere presence had started a mini-riot.

He mulled over his options for a moment before he let a resigned sigh slip his lips. He didn't want to take the chance that any more people than necessary would get involved. He glanced up at Ayame and gave her hand a squeeze to break her from her own musings before he gave her an apologetic glance…which she couldn't see behind his mask. With a sweeping motion, he put Ayame into his arms bridal style, earning him a surprised 'eep!' for his troubles. He took to the roof and made his way to an alley a few hundred yards down the road, putting his back to the dead end. He set down a thoroughly confused Ayame behind him and turned back towards the opening of the alley, his sword hand hovering just above his sword's hilt.

He contemplated for a moment that he could simply outrun the men, but quickly thought better of it. While he _could_ certainly outrun the men, once he had dropped off Ayame, there would be nothing to stop them from assailing _her_ at her house instead of dealing with _him_ directly. He wanted to take these three out here and now if at all possible, mostly because he didn't want to drag his 'sister' into this if he could avoid it. He waited with bated breath for the three to arrive.

He wasn't disappointed. After a few minutes, three obviously drunk men made their way into the alley, lecherous and downright _drunk_ grins etched on their face. Naruto scowled. He could stand simple rowdy drunks, but the lecherous stares they were direction in Ayame's direction made him _mad_. Not only were they trying to involve someone _other_ than him in their grudge against the Kyuubi container, but they had _bad intentions_ for Ayame if he somehow failed to protect her. His scowl turned to a determined and dark glare…even though no one could see it.

"Oi, braaaaaat…we got some hic words for ya'! Yeah…words…" The self-appointed leader chuckled at his oh so witty undertone of violence, and his lackeys seemed to pick up on it, chuckling themselves. Naruto flicked the top of his sword out of the sheath with an audible clicking sound, making the drunkards pause slightly.

"Leave, now." Naruto didn't want to waste words with these men. The chance that they would actually leave was next to nothing, no matter what he said. He simply wanted just the ability to say that he had given the men a chance to leave if he had to fully explain this situation to the authorities, without having to lie. Ayame shifted behind him uncomfortably, and he noticed that she was now back to back with the wall, her knees up to her chin. Naruto shot her what he hoped was a confident grin before he turned back to the drunkards, unaware that Ayame wasn't scared at _them_.

Rather, she was scared at him. Naruto had protected her from drunks before, but always before, he had simply run up to them and punched them silly while extolling his own virtues. This new Naruto…this darker Naruto…he was radiating killing intent like Ayame had never felt before coming from the blonde haired Jinchuuriki. Moreover, he had immediately reached for the sword on his back, meaning that he wasn't going to be holding back. While she was glad that he was so intent on protecting her, she was also afraid…they were just drunkards, right? Why was he going for his sword…?

Naruto noticed that the drunks just stared at him for a moment before they burst out laughing amongst each other. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at this, but said nothing, preferring to let the drunks get whatever it was out of their system. After a while of them laughing, they turned their gaze back to him, and to his annoyance, they pulled out small civilian knives from their clothes, flipping them open with an audible click. The leader looked much more menacing than he had before.

"We'll carve your flesh, demon. And then we'll have our way with your whore!" The lead drunk charged at him with his knife haphazardly slashing in front of him. Naruto sighed. It was obvious the man had no training. Nevertheless, he steeled himself. No one called Ayame a whore and came away unscarred.

With another audible metal sound, his sword came out of his sheath. Naruto found the familiar weight in his hand to be comforting. Seconds later, the lead drunk arrived, and Naruto simply steeled his resolve even further. With a deft movement of his left hand, he caught the man's forearm in a vice grip, causing the knife to drop from his hand and the man to cringe a little at the pain the ninja's grip was causing him.

His pain, apparently, was nothing compared to what happened next. With an upward jerk, Naruto broke the man's radial and ulnar bones in half, effectively breaking the man's forearm in twain. The man screamed in pain and Naruto just smirked…it served him right for calling Ayame a whore. He brought his left leg up and bent at the knee slightly before he let go of the man's arm and kicked him solidly in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards. Naruto noticed that the other two were now giving him wary and almost frightened stares, but both still held their knives at the ready.

Naruto acted on instinct. Bringing his left hand to the hilt of the sword, he charged at the man on his left, bringing his sword up above his head as he did so. The man attempted to dodge to the right, but Naruto had predicted that the man would try to dive out of the way. With a grunt, he brought his sword down on the man's chest, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction at hearing the drunk's collar bone give way and his torso spray a bit of blood from the relatively shallow vertical wound he had just inflicted on his opponent. He had at least made sure he missed the subclavian artery. The man screamed much the same as his companion had, falling to the ground unceremoniously, thrashing and clutching his chest.

Naruto then turned his gaze to the third drunk, a portly man with a cleft chin. The man was shaking slightly, and it looked as though he had evacuated himself only seconds earlier. His knife, however, was still firmly in his hand. With another charge, he brought his sword to a horizontal position in front of him and performed a backwards twirl, bringing his knees to a crouch at the same time. Before the chubby man could even dodge, Naruto's sword been brought cleanly across the man's belly in a relatively shallow evisceration…only a few inches deep…causing a small amount of blood and fat to leak from the wound. This man screamed in pain as well and clutched his stomach, falling down and writing much the same as his other companions were. Naruto stood abruptly and forced a small amount of chakra into his sword to clean it, satisfied when the small amount of gore that was on his blade simply burned away harmlessly. With another metal sound, he locked his sword securely into his sheath and turned back to Ayame.

He noted with both confusion and guilt that she was almost to the point of passing out. The girl wasn't a stranger to violence…she lived in a Shinobi village, after all…but Naruto presumed that seeing such a methodical carving of his opponents was a bit too much for the normal civilian to bear. He started towards her and unlatched his mask, intent on calming the girl down, but after his first step, Ayame's look of fear only increased. He realized with a start that she wasn't afraid of the carving…rather, of the _carver_. A hurt expression flashed over his face before he could stop it…something that Ayame could clearly see with his mask off…and she seemed to realize just what was going on.

After a deep breath with her eyes closed, Ayame seemed to calm considerably. Naruto took another step towards her and this time, she did not start like before. He extended a hand to the girl to help her up, and she accepted graciously, throwing Naruto an apologetic smile. Naruto just returned the smile with one of his own, clearly forgiving her for her silent transgression. He supposed that he _had_ been exuding a bit too much Ki during the fight…it was only natural that someone like Ayame would be affected by it, especially considering that it was laced with Kyuubi's own killing intent, even without Naruto consciously adding it.

Ayame leaned again on Naruto shoulder and surveyed the men who were still groaning and occasionally whimpering slightly on the ground. "We should probably go get some help for these guys. They may be scumbags, but we shouldn't let them die." Ayame threw a slightly exasperated and yet amused look in Naruto's direction, and he allowed himself the luxury of letting his guard down enough to smile somewhat ashamedly back.

They needn't have worried about it, however. "What exactly happened here, Genin Uzumaki?"

Naruto looked up to see a normal two-person patrol of ANBU sitting crouched on the roof to their right. His features hardened once again and he turned towards them in a professional manner. "These three thought it would be a good idea to attack me and Ayame-ane while I was in the process of walking her home. They have since learned otherwise."

Naruto could swear that he heard the tiger masked ANBU chuckle. "Did they now? It looks as though they learned their lesson the hard way. Right then…go ahead and escort Ayame-san to her home and then go home yourself…if we need more information on what transpired, we'll contact you."

Naruto couldn't help but smirk slightly before he nodded. He slipped back on his mask and nodded to Ayame, who simply nodded herself while putting more of her weight on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto stopped for a moment, confusing Ayame, before she suddenly found his shoulder gone, replaced by him in a semi-squatting position in front of her. With his shoulder to lean on now absent, she fell slightly towards him, ending up leaning on his back. She found herself steadily rising afterwards, and realized that she was now riding piggyback on Naruto. She chuckled.

"You know, you could have just said, 'Get on my back'…you didn't have to be so dramatic about it." Naruto flashed what she _thought_ was a sheepish grin before he bounded up to the roof where the ANBU were still squatting. He made ready to take another leap when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

He looked back and saw the tiger masked ANBU staring at him. "Kid…if you don't mind my asking…why are you wearing a pure white ANBU mask?"

Naruto stared at him for a few moments before his gaze fell to the ground. "Same reason you guys wear it…to keep my identity as hidden as possible." He remained silent after that, and he thought that he saw the tiger ANBU flinch slightly before he just nodded.

Taking that as a dismissal, Naruto bounded off across the rooftops once more, this time with the exited squeals and giggles of a childish-acting Ayame in his ear. He smiled. He remembered about six months ago when he had first taken Ayame roof-hopping…she had loved every minute of it. She had nearly deafened Naruto with her squeals of delight when he would jump especially high or go especially fast, and now that he was even faster and stronger than he had been then, he bounded even higher and went even faster, eliciting even more exited giggling from the girl on his back.

All too soon, it was over, and they had arrived at the Ichiraku residence. The night crowd was finally beginning to come out, and Naruto could see that it was a full moon. He wasn't sure if this was a bad omen, or a good one.

Ayame climbed off his back and stood a bit shakily for a few moments before she unlocked the door, firing a smile at Naruto at the same time. "Thanks Naruto, for protecting me tonight." Naruto just nodded sheepishly while maintaining his smile. Ayame walked up to him and gave him a hug, which he returned, before she shot him another grateful smile and walked into her house, vanishing behind the now closed door. Naruto allowed himself a moment to savor the feeling of family and happiness before he shook his head wistfully and chuckled to himself. That was _another_ reason why he hated it when the Ichiraku's lost business because of him. It felt like he was being a burden to his family.

He began walking home, an unbidden smile on his face the whole way.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The tiger masked ANBU sighed and motioned for his partner to call the civilian police force. His partner just nodded and bounded off towards the police station, leaving him there to watch over the still whimpering drunks as they slowly passed out from the pain.

He had recognized the boy behind the mask as being Uzumaki Naruto…or rather, simply 'Naruto', as he was purported to be going by now. If he remembered correctly, the boy was one of Kakashi-sempai's new students, along with the Uchiha prodigy and the Haruno girl. It struck him as odd that the boy was so different from what most people, especially ninja, remembered of him. Bright blond hair, equally bright disposition, tacky orange clothing…none of what he had seen tonight had matched with the description of the boy that most ninja's looked out for.

Almost all ANBU at one time or another had come across the boy in their duties, usually to save him from a mob of villagers or on the onus of the Sandaime to see to it that the boy was in good health. The majority of the ninja in the village, and especially the ANBU, respected the boy rather well, and he was almost an unofficial charge of the ANBU…or rather, he _had_ been, until he had become a ninja. Tenzo smiled. It looked as though the boy no longer needed their protection.

He was broken from his musings as his partner returned with three civilian policemen hot on his tails. The police of Konoha had minimal ninja training…just enough to travel like a ninja and usually enough to defeat a Genin if one were to get out of hand. ANBU were usually the 'first responders' as it were, and the police were usually the ones who handled the scene as well as the prosecution of anyone involved. The problem with this, at least in this particular case, was that the police were almost to a member, civilians. Very few of them had been ninja at any point in time, and this meant that they probably harbored a marked dislike of Naruto. Tenzo scowled. He supposed that was why he had stuck around. If they began to try to blame Naruto for any of this, he would 'set them straight'.

"Tora-san, what exactly occurred here tonight?" The lead police man had walked up to him and was standing with a semi-formal posture above him, his face set in impassivity. Tenzo stood and gazed down at the scene, watching as a few medic Nin tended to the drunk's injuries.

"These three men attacked a Konoha ninja and a woman under his protection. The ninja fought back and disabled them. I have already sent him on his way." Tenzo quietly hoped that perhaps they didn't need the boy's name…that by some chance, they would simply believe him and write it off as a case of being 'drunk and stupid'.

He had no such luck. "If I might ask, what is the name of the Ninja that caused these men's injuries? Simply for records purposes of course." The man looked decidedly bored at the moment. Tenzo cursed under his breath.

"Uzumaki Naruto." The man immediately snapped his head in his direction and his boredom seemed to disappear instantly. Tenzo scowled. He remembered this man now…he had been one of the more troublesome elements within the police force for years regarding Naruto…he had literally gone on several witch hunts trying to prove the boy guilty of this or that…he had failed of course, but it had prompted the Sandaime to have a 'chat' with him a few years ago. He had been markedly less troublesome since.

The man seemed to scowl before he tried to school his face once more. He failed horribly. "I see. I'll take this from here then. If I need more information, I'll contact you." The man turned to hop off the roof where they were conversing, but Tenzo could see that the man was obviously going to try to slant this in a more 'favorable' direction. He might have been 'persuaded' to stop his witch hunts, but in a situation like this, the man was perfectly justified in launching a full investigation. He put his hand on the man's shoulder and turned him around, at the same time unhinging his mask and pulling it off.

The man sent him a slightly startled gaze before it quickly turned to irritated. He was about to speak, but Tenzo never gave him the chance. Putting on his 'scary face' that he used for _real_ opponents, he glared at the man pointedly. "If I hear that you are pursuing Naruto unjustly in this particular case, you will be _hearing_ from me and my comrades, do you understand?"

The man's face immediately turned to one of terror before he simply nodded furiously; obviously scared out of his wits by both the face he was making and the 'small' amount of Ki that he was exuding. Tenzo couldn't help but smirk. The man was tough enough to pick on a kid, but when faced with an adult, he was putty. In short, he was a coward.

He put his mask back on and signaled for his companion to follow him as they bounded off the roof towards the Hokage tower. There had been another observer to the whole scene…and if his hunch was correct…with a quick hand seal, he formed a Moku Bunshin that sped off in a separate direction. He grimaced. Perhaps Naruto needed the ANBU's protection _now_ more than ever, especially if _he_ was after him. The Hokage would undoubtedly want to know about this.

The 'other observer' slinked out of the shadows of the alley way and bounded off in a separate direction, releasing the camouflage jutsu that he had been hiding under. Taichou would be interested in this…_very_ interested. The boy was becoming very skilled, very quickly. This would mean moving up their timetable.

He vanished into the night, himself never noticing the wooden ninja following him at a distance.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"**You know, you _could_ have just summoned me."**

Naruto smirked at the Kyuubi resting in front of the fireplace in the seal, watching as her face contorted into one of irritation and frustration. He had just gotten done telling her about the escapades that had occurred, and Kyuubi was slightly peeved that she hadn't gotten the chance to fight with him.

"Oh, but you were sleeping oh so cutely on the couch, dreaming of chasing rabbits and morsels. I didn't want to interrupt anything _important_." Naruto's smirk widened upon seeing Kyuubi's semi-astonished gaze and embarrassed blush, before she turned away from him, attempting to hide said blush…failing miserably.

"**I…I talk in my sleep?! I never knew…oh…damn it…"** Naruto outright laughed at the flustered fox in front of him as she attempted to bury her face even further into her chair to hide her blush. After a few minutes of friendly jibing, Kyuubi ended the conversation with a 'playful' bop on his head, resulting in a slightly raised contusion on his scalp. It was his turn to scowl, but they both ended up just smiling at each other amusedly in the end.

Kyuubi cleared her throat and walked outside, a curious Naruto following at her heels. Kyuubi walked in the grass for a while before she stopped at what looked like a garden…something Naruto hadn't remembered creating. Kyuubi saw his confused stare and hid a smirk of her own. **"I created this garden a little while back. It's filled with healing herbs, poisonous plants, and plants with other various effects to them that you are going to be learning about."**

Naruto looked astonished for a moment before he nodded and stared at the garden with barely restrained curiosity, causing Kyuubi to fully smile at the Naruto that she knew still existed within him…childish, playful and more than willing to learn.

She walked to a bush with red berries growing off of it…it looked very much like a pine tree, or perhaps a pine _bush_ would be more fitting. **"This plant is known as the Yew…"** She snapped off one of the berries and held it in her hand placidly. Naruto looked in on it and stared at it expectantly. **"This berry's seed contains enough toxins to kill a horse."**

Naruto's eyes widened considerably and he nearly fell on his butt trying to back away from the berry. Kyuubi guffawed, earning her an irritated glare from Naruto. After she calmed down, and Naruto was steady on his feet, she continued. **"It acts on the cardiac system, causing cardiac arrhythmia and usually death within no more than a few hours after application. Most effective when ingested, but can be effective if applied topically to an open wound or from a cut with a sword or senbon. It's a rather common plant around Konoha, I'd imagine."**

Naruto gaped at her for a moment before he nodded hesitantly. Kyuubi just threw the berry back into the garden, walking up to another plant that looked much more common, like a regular shrubbery. It had a few orange ovoid orange pieces of fruit growing from the stems, and the leaves were very much spade shaped, parachuting slightly. Naruto noticed that Kyuubi had an almost evil glint in her eye. He gulped.

"**This plant grows almost exclusively in this part of the world…it is known simply as the Strychnine tree. Nothing about the tree is poisonous…not the leaves, not the fruit, not the bark…nothing…however, if you break open the fruit…"** Kyuubi snatched one of the pieces of fruit off the tree and twisted it in half. **"…the seeds inside of it produce a poison aptly named as Strychnine. It is one of _the_ most potent poisons in the entire world, and if you concentrate it enough on the edge of a blade or senbon, it can cause intense pain, instantaneous rigor mortis, convulsions and asphyxiation in the space of just a few minutes. It is truly a _horrible_ poison."**

Naruto literally gaped. Asphyxiation was truly one of the most horrible ways to die, and considering that this poison not only caused asphyxiation but also pain and convulsions…for a moment, he considered not even using this knowledge, but quickly drove that thought from his mind. Someone, somewhere, deserved it. Besides…you used what tools you had as a ninja, regardless of the humanity or lack thereof.

Kyuubi saw the emotions play across Naruto's face and knew that he understood the absolute _terror_ of Strychnine. It would probably be the first poison she would teach him how to make…and it might even be the last. Strychnine was very much all one needed to brutally kill someone. She tossed the halved fruit and the seeds back into the garden and proceeded to another plant that Naruto had probably seen before.

Naruto looked at her rather confusedly. "Almonds? _Almonds_ are a poison?"

Kyuubi smirked once more. **"No. Almonds are not poisonous. In fact, they're perfectly safe for ingestion. However…"** She proceeded to grab an almond and crush it in her hand. A small amount of liquid glistened from the crushed pieces. **"In an almond, there are traces of a chemical compound that is easily one of the most deadly substances in the world. If you were to crush enough almonds and separate the chemicals properly in your chemistry lab…"** Naruto looked on interestedly, and Kyuubi's smirk became a fully evil smile.

"**Tell me…have you ever heard of Cyanide?"**

-------------------------------------------------------------

He had never really realized until now just how depressing the Uchiha compound was.

After having spent the past month training with Naruto, he had come to a startling realization. Naruto's house was one of the only places he had ever been to that had ever felt like a _home_. It held an atmosphere of safety, comfort and contentedness that Sasuke hadn't felt since…since his family had been alive. The Uchiha compound, he had realized, had stopped being a _home_ the day that Itachi had killed off those that had made it as such. It was nothing more than a collection of houses now, all of them holding the shadows of blood and grief that Sasuke had fed on.

Until now. He had used the reminders of the massacre that pervaded the Uchiha compound to fuel his desire for revenge…his hatred and rage had been fueled constantly by the seemingly unchangeable streets that were once busy and _alive_. Every time he had seen his house, he had been reminded of his goals, every time he had seen Itachi's stark empty room, he had been reminded of the cause for his hatred…every time he saw the cracked Uchiha crest that his brother had mangled…he had been reminded of who he was. An avenger.

But for whatever reason…its influence was no longer welcome. He had ceased to be angered by the compound, ceased to be motivated by the years old bloodstains…rather, now, it gave him a deep pang of sadness, an almost insatiable desire to simply _leave_ and never come back. He now wanted to simply turn his back on this place and never return…at least, not until he had accomplished what he was meant to do. He wasn't sure he could face his family, his friends, until his desire was fulfilled completely.

In a way, this angered him more than even the reminders of his dead family did. Was he losing his edge? Was he losing his motivation? He was still an avenger, he was still after revenge, and he _would_ kill Itachi…right? Moreover, his family was yearning for such a thing…their spirits cried for vengeance…didn't they? Was Naruto to blame for his lack of motivation? Was Naruto the one who had made him stray from his path?

As he walked the path that lead to the exit from the compound, he pushed those thoughts to the edge of his mind. If anything, he had gotten stronger in the past month from training with Naruto and Kyuubi than he had in the past six years. He was stronger, faster, more agile…he had more chakra, he had better control, he knew more jutsu…in effect, he was a better ninja _now_ than he had been a month ago simply because he had trained with the one person who he had come to acknowledge as a friend…even if only to himself. He had Naruto, his friend, to thank for his newfound power and ability.

But was it worth it? Was losing his insatiable desire for revenge…his hatred, his vengeance, his _passion_…was losing all of those worth becoming more powerful? Why was he even _becoming_ more powerful if not to fulfill his goals? If one lost their goals, but gained power…was that enough? Rather, could you ever truly lose your goal in the first place, or was it something so deeply ingrained into one's psyche as to be considered permanent?

Sasuke scowled. He was being too introspective and existential. In the long run of things, gaining power was all he cared about. His goal would still be there. His hatred, his vengeance, his loathing of his brother…those things could fall to the wayside if it meant that he gained power because of it. His goal was independent of his life and his emotions. His goals and ambitions _would_ be fulfilled, regardless of his feelings on the matter.

He wondered, for a moment, if perhaps he should ask Naruto if he could move in with him. It would take an act of god himself to make him humble enough to ask…and an even greater act to make Naruto accept. Nevertheless…his power was due to Naruto and due to his training. Naruto's home was power. Sasuke could use that. He pushed that particular thought to the back of his mind to be pondered on later.

After a few more minutes of walking, he arrived at Team 7's bridge, noting that he was the first one there. He took his usual perch on the side of the bridge and waited. He noted that after a few more minutes, Sakura arrived and greeted him in her normal fashion before babbling about something that he didn't quite listen to. After a few _more_ minutes, Naruto arrived and grunted out a greeting which Sasuke returned just as animatedly. Sakura, as per usual, looked irritated and scowled to herself. Sasuke nearly smirked. It was a very normal morning.

While they waited for their always-tardy sensei, Sasuke and Naruto both trained their senses. Sasuke had learned…at least somewhat…how to enhance his own senses through the application of chakra through the tracking exercises that Kyuubi had drilled them on. He wasn't nearly as good as Naruto was, however he was able to pick up scents and hear various things that most people couldn't. He took at least some pride in the fact that he was still better than probably every Genin out there save for Naruto himself, although, he promised himself that one day he would overtake Naruto's skill level…somehow.

He focused chakra to his nose, ears and eyes, scanning the area with all three senses. He _had_ hoped that by applying chakra to his eyes, he would somehow activate his Sharingan…a hope that Naruto shared, but Sasuke didn't exactly know that. So far, both had been unsuccessful, but Sasuke held out hope that his 'activation' would come soon. He noticed that there were a few new smells present that he had not really smelled before, and he focused on them as best he could.

He realized with a slight frown that what he was smelling was blood. Moreover, it wasn't Naruto's or his blood. He had been able to pinpoint those particular smells early on in training, having been subjected to both smells due to various injuries they had sustained during their attempts to get stronger. The smells he noticed were different…in fact, he noticed two distinct different smells of blood coming from Naruto that had not been there previously.

He turned to Naruto and frowned, noticing that Naruto too was simply standing there training his senses…the small amount of chakra he was using was proof enough of that. "Naruto."

Naruto turned around to Sasuke's calling him and fixed him with an impassive stare that Sasuke couldn't discern from under his mask. "What?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly before asking. "Why is it that you smell of blood?"

Naruto started for a moment before he realized that he hadn't cleaned his armor off the night before. He made a mental note to get into the habit of cleaning his equipment after a fight. "I got into a fight last night with some drunks who wanted to hurt Ayame. Cut two of them up pretty badly…I broke the third's forearm in half."

Sakura looked stunned, but Sasuke's visage remained relatively unchanged, save for the smirk that now adorned it. "I see. You never _could_ resist a good fight, could you?"

Naruto smirked as well, but Sasuke couldn't see it. "I suppose not. Then again, they called Ayame some…bad things. I had to teach them a lesson. They'll live with a few scars to remind them of that." Sasuke's smirk only widened before he shook his head and turned back around, resolving to train his senses once more. Naruto did the same.

Sakura, however, was livid, stunned, and a bit afraid. Livid at the fact that Naruto and Sasuke could converse so easily between themselves…stunned that Naruto was so cold and distant in regards to injuring and cutting people…and afraid…

She was afraid because Naruto seemed like he _enjoyed_ it. She herself simply _knew_ that she would _never_ enjoy hurting people, no matter how bad or evil they were. It simply wasn't in her nature. Moreover, while she would kick some drunk's ass without compunction, she wouldn't 'cut them up', no matter _what_ they said or did. Such violence was unbecoming of a lady.

She considered opening her mouth and berating Naruto for a moment, but decided against it. Naruto was becoming _dangerous_…if he could so easily cripple a few drunken civilians, perhaps he could just as easily cripple _her_. Until she knew that Naruto wasn't somehow a psychopathic murderer or some sort of sadist, she figured that she had to play it safe.

All three members of Team 7 simply stood there in silence until they heard a telltale 'pop' sounding on the east side of the bridge, alerting them to the fact that Kakashi had arrived. Sasuke scowled, as usual, at his lateness, and Sakura yelled her normal greeting of 'You're late!' Naruto simply stood there.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to help-"

"Bullshit. One day, I'll find out what you _really_ do before you come here, and when I do, I'll remove whatever it is that you hold so dear as to be late to your own _teams_ meetings from this world forever." Naruto's tone was cold and uncaring, and Kakashi sweat-dropped at the childish yet vicious anger that was directed at him. Sasuke just shook his head and Sakura nearly fell on her butt from the absurdity of it.

Kakashi merely waved him off. "Right…well, we have a new mission to do. Follow me."

The three did exactly as he ordered and followed him to a wooded area with undergrowth just a few miles from their bridge. Naruto had a bad feeling about this, as did Sasuke. Sakura apparently had no idea.

Kakashi eye-smiled at them and got out his book. "Your mission today is to capture Tora the cat."

Naruto drew his sword, Sasuke cracked his knuckles and Sakura drew a Kunai, all three emitting a vicious level of killing intent. They all decided in their minds that this would be the _last time_ they were forced to capture the damned cat. It would meet its end this day.

Kakashi merely sweat-dropped. Perhaps he should have chosen a different mission…he almost felt sorry for the poor feline…almost.

----------------------------------------------------------------

A peeved and irritated as all hell Team 7 stood before the Hokage in the mission room of the Hokage tower, looking to the entire world as though they had just been dragged through the forest of death. Naruto's fists were shaking, Sasuke's eyebrow had developed an incurable twitch, and Sakura had allowed Inner Sakura some freedom, spewing curse words under her breath that would have made even the most seasoned of Jounin jealous.

Kakashi's eye belied none of this, curving itself into it's usual upside-down U shape that indicated he was smiling. "Mission to retrieve Tora the cat, _unharmed_…complete."

The owner of Tora, a large woman with copious amounts of jewelry and makeup on, was currently 'snuggling' (read: strangling) said cat within an inch of its life. The cat, however, was apparently taking it much better than usual, having been subjected to the utter and complete fear that was Team 7 when they were angry. Rather than having to deal with the three Genin again, the cat resolved to simply take the lesser of two evils…figuring that what its owner could do to it was nothing in comparison to the raw and absolute terror that it had experienced while being chased.

In fact, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura had worked more efficiently as a team than they ever had before. They each had one goal in mind…the complete and utter destruction of Tora. Sakura had chased said cat through a minefield, earning her some singed hair and clothes…but the cat also had been terrified of the explosions that had occurred. Sasuke had burned down a good portion of forest while throwing fire jutsu at the cat in his chase, earning Sasuke some singes and burns, but again, scaring Tora to the brink of death. Naruto, however, had to have been the most fearsome.

The boy had all but buried the cat in the earth, sinking it into the mud on several occasions and throwing even _more_ fire jutsu at the cat. He had cut every branch Tora had tried to hide on, and even felled a few trees in his attempt to either crush burn or mince the cat to death. She had been lucky to escape a small rain of Kunai and Shuriken that the boy had thrown at her, and even luckier to have survived a few times when one of his clones had simply detonated in close proximity.

Thus, Tora the cat resolved never to run away again. She had survived only by the graces of the tall one eyed man picking her up by the scruff before a Katon Jutsu had annihilated the ground she had been standing on. However, the look the one eyed man had given her had clearly said that it would be the first, last and only time he would save her. Without the one eyed man to stop the terrifying trio…Tora mewled pitifully. Yes, even her owner was preferable to experiencing _that_ again.

Sarutobi, predictably, found this all to be incredibly humorous, much to the chagrin of Team 7's Genin. He began to sift through various other missions that they could accomplish before the day was over while Tora's owner paid the cashier, and when she was out the door, he cleared his throat. "Team 7, I have three possible jobs for you to do. The first is to pick up some groceries for a kindly old lady that lives on the south side…the second is to baby sit a young child, and the third is to paint a fence –"

"No."

Everyone looked up to see Naruto simply gazing at the Hokage impassively, his mask, for once, taken off his face. His eyes, however, contained slit pupils. "If all we're going to be doing is some D-class mission, then I do not _want_ one. I'm tired, dirty, bloody, and _pissed off_. I am going to go home, soak in my onsen, and then train for the rest of the day. When I come back tomorrow, I want a C class mission. Do we have an understanding old man?"

Iruka stood up so fast his chair fell to the ground. "Naruto! You do _not_ speak to the Hokage in such a fashion! Your use of 'old man' I could tolerate, but you do _not_ demand things from your Hokage…you do _not_ threaten him! Do I make myself clear, Naruto?!"

Everyone, including the Hokage, gaped at the normally placid and good natured man who had just delivered a fiery tirade against his once pupil. After a few moments of this stunned silence, Sarutobi began to chuckle, which served to both break everyone from their stupor, as well as lighten the mood considerably. Iruka simply looked confused…startled…a host of emotions were written on his face. Perhaps Iruka was just as surprised at his uncharacteristic outburst as everyone else was.

Lightening the mood further, Sarutobi shook his head and took a drag from his pipe. "I'm sure Naruto didn't mean anything threatening by it, Iruka-kun. If I had been doing D rank missions for a month, especially with that accursed cat, I would be rather _irked_ as well, I imagine." Iruka had the decency to blush and apologize softly, while Naruto seemed to have realized just what he had said.

He bowed deeply, surprising everyone present. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama. I did not mean to insult or threaten you." Truly, Naruto was peeved and ashamed at himself for even insinuating that he somehow was able to give orders to his surrogate grandfather…and he was immensely relieved that Sarutobi had brushed it off as easily as he did.

The Hokage looked at Naruto curiously for a moment before he chuckled again and waved him off. "No harm done, Naruto. If a C ranked mission is what you want…and your sensei agrees…" Kakashi nodded slightly. "…then a C ranked mission is what you shall receive when you come in for your mission assignments tomorrow. I suggest you take the rest of today to prepare for a trip outside of the village."

All of Team 7 nodded and bowed slightly, Naruto throwing Sarutobi a grateful and apologetic grin, before they turned and exited the double doors quietly. To his surprise, Hinata was standing just outside the doorway with the members of her team flanking her on either side. Their red-eyed Jounin instructor stood behind them, giving Kakashi a dirty look for having his notorious book out in front of the 'impressionable' children.

Naruto, with mask still off, shot a 'foxy-grin' at Hinata, hoping to elicit some sort of usual Hinata-type response from the girl. While Hinata did in fact blush, it was tempered with a frown that fully reached her eyes. Naruto scowled. He still had no idea what was wrong with the girl.

He was about to simply turn around and walk out when a bark interrupted his thoughts. "Yeah, he does smell different. Hey, Naruto, what'd you do to yourself man? You look…and smell…completely different!"

Naruto looked back to see Kiba giving him a confused yet strangely feral look, noting that Hinata had fixed her eyes firmly on the floor. Shino stood there, dead to the world, however it looked as though he was talking to some sort of bug perched on his hand. Surprisingly, he was the one to speak next. "I concur with Kiba. My bugs note something…different…about you, Naruto."

Naruto, thinking quickly, tried to come up with some sort of retort. He focused on just telling a half-truth. "I've been working with my newly discovered bloodline, Kiba. It grants me certain…chakra benefits. That is why I smell and _feel_ different to both of you." He noticed Sasuke repress a smirk, and even the red-eyed Jounin instructor seemed to look a bit appreciative that he was able to come up with such a spot on explanation for his 'condition' as a Jinchuuriki.

It was said Jounin instructor that interrupted the conversation. "I'm sure we're all interested in Naruto's abilities, but we have a mission to get, remember?" She smiled slightly at Kiba's disappointed scowl, but obediently, he and his teammates walked into the missions' room forthwith. Kakashi too shooed Sasuke and Sakura back down the stairs, leaving Naruto and the woman alone in the hallway. The red eyed woman gave him a smile. "Sorry about that. They're a bit inquisitive. My name is Yuuhi Kurenai, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Naruto gave her a disarming smile, noting that the woman was gazing at him with a look he had seen on many women in the village over the past month. "Nice to meet you as well, Kurenai-san…but aren't I a bit young for you?"

He noticed with satisfaction that she blushed and gasped slightly. While the woman was undeniably beautiful, she had to be at least fifteen years his senior. Even _he_ had his limits. Kurenai composed herself quickly and shook her head chuckling. "I suppose so, Naruto-kun. You'll be a heartbreaker one of these days."

Naruto smirked. "Yeah, assuming they don't find out about _it_." That effectively killed the mood, accomplishing exactly what he wanted to accomplish. He wasn't exactly enjoying this line of conversation. He got a slightly annoyed glare from the fox positioned around his neck…she probably resented being referred to as an 'it'.

Kurenai's expression sobered, but she maintained a slight smile. "I think you underestimate the people of Konoha, Naruto. You've had a bad life, I imagine…but give them a chance. They'll come around, in time."

Naruto's smirk turned to a sad smile and he shook his head, bowing it slightly to reattach his mask. "If anything Kurenai-san…" He turned his back and began walking away.

He stopped and turned back to her. "If anything…I overestimate them. I'm afraid I don't have nearly the faith left in Konoha that you do." With that, he turned his back and walked away completely, leaving a fully somber and just slightly disillusioned Kurenai behind. Shaking herself from her thoughts after a few moments of introspection, she ambled into the mission room to find Kiba in some sort of heated and one-sided discussion with Shino on the merits of dogs versus insects.

The Hokage raised his hand, signaling for silence…which was surprisingly effective. Kurenai noted that their team had asked for a C ranked mission for today, and they would be getting it. Sarutobi looked at his paper for a moment before taking a drag on his pipe. "I understand you asked for a C rank…your request was approved."

He motioned to the door on his left. "Please come in, Tazuna."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Sakura cursed.

Normally, she didn't allow herself the luxury of cursing. She was a lady…ladies didn't curse. They accepted everything with a gracious smile and a blush and allowed their inner selves to take out their frustration on something at a later time.

But this…this was curse-worthy. Their team would be receiving a C-ranked mission. Not only that, but it was at the behest of _Naruto_, and not Sasuke. Did this mean that Sasuke wasn't prepared for a C ranked mission? Did this mean that he didn't _want_ a C ranked mission? If Naruto was making Sasuke go on a mission he didn't want to go on, there would be _hell_ to pay.

She sighed and flopped herself down on her fluffy mattress, noting that her mom had changed the sheets while she had been away. She had just gotten out of the shower, and the concept that they would be going on a mission _outside of the village_ had just now been able to penetrate her skull. She had only been out of the village once before in her life, and that had been to visit an Aunt of hers that lived up in the mountains…or at least, her mother _called_ her an Aunt. As far as she knew, there was no family relation. Her mother was 'good friends' with the medic-nin who lived communally on the local mountain range, and she had been six at the time. It wasn't exactly as if she would have questioned her mother referring to the woman as her _Aunt_. Besides, Rin was a strange name anyway.

She pushed these thoughts from her mind as she curled around her pillow, giving off a shuddering sigh. Unknown to Naruto, his words had hit their mark. Even a month down the road, his scathing assessment of her ninja abilities as well as her desire and motivation thereof had spurred her to take a good look inward. What she had found had been at least somewhat depressing. Naruto had been _right_, even if she would _never_ admit to such a thing. While she was undoubtedly 'book smart' as her teachers had called her…her practical skills were indeed lacking.

Although, she hadn't done anything about it. The girl in her had forbidden herself training. It would have messed up her already sub-par figure, and no doubt Sasuke-kun would want a girl who had long flowing hair and a delicate frame. Besides, Sasuke…and to a lesser extent, Naruto, were there to 'save' her when she got into trouble. Kakashi was a capable ninja, right? She was fine. While she wasn't the best ninja in the world, she probably wasn't the worst either. Until she got Sasuke-kun, her skills would do.

She drifted off into an afternoon nap, dreaming about her future beau and the times they would spend together. However…the best laid plans of mice and fan girls often go awry.

------------------------------------------------

"Sasuke…you might want to back up a bit."

Sasuke complied, watching as Naruto sat in a lotus position in the middle of their training ground. Shortly after their departure from the Hokage tower, both boys had found themselves heading for Naruto's home, and they had already been training for about three hours now. Naruto had simply been training his chakra natures and physical body, and Sasuke had been training more with his taijutsu style. A few minutes ago, though, Kyuubi had interrupted him, telling him that Naruto would be doing something 'interesting'. He was a bit peeved at having been interrupted, but Sasuke _was_ curious as to what Naruto was actually attempting to accomplish.

Seeing his confusion, Kyuubi walked up to him and sat down against a nearby rock. "He's going to be releasing another suppression seal. Basically, it allows him unrestricted access to more of my own chakra. Normally, we would have waited about another two months before attempting this…but we're hoping that it stabilizes his chakra control enough to allow him to produce a completed Rasengan."

Sasuke looked impressed for a moment before his face schooled itself into a half-grimace. Naruto would be getting stronger…again. He made a mental note to double his own training regimen.

After a few moments of silence, a reddish aura began to surround Naruto and envelop him in a slightly red-orange haze that obscured him from view. For a few moments, Sasuke looked on confused…but then he was pushed back into the rock by a shockwave.

Naruto had all but exploded. Red chakra and killing intent had literally gushed out of the blonde haired Genin, and Sasuke found himself hard pressed to breathe, let alone stand up. The red haze was now even thicker than before, but curiously, Sasuke could see into it enough to make out the shape of a writhing-in-pain Naruto thrashing about on the ground, clutching his stomach. He tried to make himself stand up, but his legs wouldn't obey him. His arms wouldn't obey him. He was completely disabled.

He was able to steal a slight glance at Kyuubi, noting that she seemed to be wholly unaffected. Kyuubi, noticing Sasuke's condition, simply reached out a hand and touched the boy's shoulder. The effects were instantaneous. He was able to breathe again, and his limbs once again responded to his commands. He made to try to stand again, but Kyuubi's hand grabbed onto his shoulder as she shook her head, silently commanding Sasuke to simply _stay put_.

Naruto, on the other hand, was finding a completely new definition of the word pain. It enshrouded him and battered him senseless, and it filled his entire world to the brim. His stomach burned and ached, his veins and chakra pathways threatened to explode, and his throat was already raw from screaming, although, curiously, no sound seemed to be escaping. All he had done was 'trip a switch' as Kyuubi had put it, and his world had exploded. He made a mental note to berate the fox for completely failing to mention the pain aspect to him.

After a few minutes more of the blinding, mind numbing pain, it stopped as quickly as it began. He lay in a sweaty, dirty and panting pile on the ground, not daring to stand. After a few moments, he heard slightly subdued footsteps coming towards him and risked craning his neck to the side to see Sasuke and Kyuubi coming towards him at a tentative pace.

He flashed them both a grin, even though they couldn't see it. "That wasn't so bad…except for the mind numbing pain thing. Damn it, Kyuubi, next time, tell me about that!"

Kyuubi had the grace to look sheepish. "Sorry…last time you didn't complain much…but then again, you _were_ kind of passed out." Sasuke and Naruto both sweat-dropped at this, and Kyuubi just laughed nervously.

Sasuke smirked and came over to Naruto, extending his hand. Naruto took it gratefully, heaving himself up and dusting himself off, noting that his chakra coils felt fuller than they'd ever been. He smirked. He could already feel the extra chakra added to himself. With a quick nod to Sasuke, he began to try to form the Rasengan in his right hand, when he stopped cold and gasped.

"Sas…Sasuke…your…" He stared straight at Sasuke, not quite believing his eyes. Kyuubi looked confused as well before she too looked at Sasuke and gasped. Sasuke looked at them both, irritated.

"What are you staring at? Do I have something on my face? Did I cut open my head or something?" Noting that neither one was responding after a minute or so he scowled and shook his head, turning around to go back to his usual taijutsu training area.

Or rather, he would have if he hadn't been bodily picked up by two Naruto clones and dragged into the house. "Na-Naruto?! What the hell?"

He got absolutely no response from either of the clones, and watched as the real Naruto and Kyuubi both walked placidly behind him. Kyuubi had the audacity to smirk. Sasuke scowled. Whatever was going on, he made a mental note to kick the shit out of Naruto next chance he got.

After a few more minutes of letting himself be carried, they arrived upstairs at what looked to be a bathroom. The Naruto clones poofed out of existence after they let him down, and Sasuke scrambled to his feet, throwing a murderous glare at Naruto in the process. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing? If this is some kind of a joke –"

"Sasuke, go into the bathroom and look into the mirror." It was Kyuubi talking this time…Naruto was scowling with his mask off in a very unusual display of jealousy. Sasuke wondered just what he had to be jealous of.

Against his better judgment, he walked into the bathroom and took a look in the mirror, just as Kyuubi had asked. At first, he didn't notice anything different…a few scuff marks from when he had fallen…his hair was mussed up a bit, and his clothing had a few insignificant tears in it…his eyes were red…his cheeks had some dirt on them…

Sasuke froze. Eyes…Red?

And…they had black spots in them. No…they were more like…tomoe…

Sasuke gasped and his eyes widened to an impossible size before a _very_ uncharacteristic grin made its way onto his face. He had it. After so many years of trying and training and failing…he had done it. They were only the very first level…but…

He stared into his red eyes in the mirror, taking note of the one tomoe each eye sported, before he _laughed_.

He had the Sharingan.

-------------------------------------------------------

"The question is, how did you manage to activate it so easily?"

Kyuubi, Naruto and Sasuke were sitting in Naruto's living room chatting about Sasuke's new ability with restrained curiosity. Both Kyuubi and Naruto both had been very hesitant to even speak of it for fear of somehow blurting out something private, but Sasuke had been entirely too receptive to their questions to pass up the opportunity. They were learning more about the Sharingan and it's benefits than they had _ever_ known before, and Kyuubi was busy trying to figure out just what had actually caused Sasuke's Sharingan to activate.

Sasuke shrugged, his smile still present on his face, although much more subdued than it had been. "I have my ideas, but to be honest, I don't much care. I'm focusing on the fact that I _have_ it…not _how_.

Kyuubi repressed a scowl. They weren't getting anywhere in that direction. Sasuke had been entirely uncooperative with Kyuubi's attempts to get him to open up about the process of activation, and she simply hoped that her motivation wasn't showing through. She chanced a glance at Naruto, noting that he was deep in thought on something. She quirked an eyebrow but said nothing, preferring to try to figure this whole thing out.

"It's obvious that my chakra had _something_ to do with it…actually…if I remember right, when I brought you out of the paralysis induced by my Ki, your eyes were already red. Perhaps my chakra interacted with your own to create a period of intense stress…" She trailed off, trying to think of everything she could remember about human ocular anatomy.

"Sasuke, were you training your senses while I was releasing the seal?" Kyuubi was surprised that Naruto had spoken so quietly and seriously, but recognized his line of thinking immediately.

Sasuke looked confused for a moment before realization dawned on his face. "Yeah…Yeah, I was. I was focusing chakra to my eyes, ears and nose at the time…_her_ chakra must've activated _something_ inside my eyes or brain or…something…and the chakra to my eyes activated the Sharingan because of it."

Naruto was still for a few moments before he nodded and went back to thinking, surprising Kyuubi once more. Sasuke simply shrugged and leaned back, his smile still present on his face. "Now that I have these eyes…there's nothing I can't learn…" He smirked for a moment. "I might even be able to surpass _you_, Naruto."

If Naruto was irked or amused, he didn't show it. His gaze was fixed solely on the floor, a very serious and thoughtful expression adorning his face. Sasuke seemed to lose a bit of his luster at seeing his rival and friend in this state, and even Kyuubi was a bit concerned. Naruto had never acted like this before…so deep in thought that he didn't even react to other's jibes or comments. For a moment, she considered conversing through their telepathic link, but she quickly dismissed that thought by speaking words that made her freeze.

"Sasuke…" He sighed and closed his eyes briefly, seemingly resigned to something. "You remember when I told you that there were things that I couldn't…or wouldn't…tell you about myself?"

Kyuubi started and gave Naruto a pointed and piercing glare, silently warning him. If he really wanted to tell Sasuke, she couldn't and wouldn't stop him…but…it had only been a month. Was it really prudent? She mentally resigned herself to simply watch it all unfold. Whether or not it was a good idea was a moot point…it came down to the fact that what Naruto wanted to tell Sasuke, he simply _would_, regardless of her advice.

Sasuke gave Naruto a surprised stare and nodded, his smile slipping off of his face rather quickly. Naruto bowed his head and allowed his bangs to hide his eyes, his mask set aside for the moment. It seemed like minutes before he spoke again.

"That day after the Genin exam…when I changed both mentally and physically…it was due to a seal placed on me at birth that made me look, act and think differently than I would otherwise. I won't go into details, Sasuke…mostly because they're impertinent to the situation…but…without this seal affecting me, I gained my 'true' appearance, the one that you see now. My hair darkened, my face elongated, I grew taller, my whisker marks became more pronounced…and my eyes…" he paused for a moment before sighing, noting that Sasuke by now was absolutely riveted to the conversation. Kyuubi just bit her bottom lip.

"This seal hid all evidence of my mother's genetics from me. In essence, I became my father's clone. However…certain traits of my mother's were revealed when the seal was removed. The change in my eyes is a direct result of that." He looked up and gazed directly into eyes that were exactly like his own.

"…Tell me, Sasuke…what group of people in Konoha have ever had jet black eyes?"

The room seemed to go completely silent for a few moments before the sound of a choke and a gasp echoed throughout. Kyuubi looked to see that Naruto's eyes were now closed and his head was tilted downward. Sasuke, on the other hand, was completely taut.

He was sitting straight up in his chair, his eyes wider than Kyuubi had ever seen them. His hands were shaking on the recliner armrests, and his complexion, if possible, was even paler than usual. His mouth was open in a half gape, and it was making a rather good fish impression, opening and closing ever so slightly every few seconds.

After what seemed like minutes of silence, a shaky, half hopeful, half furious voice broke it. "You…you can't be…no…you aren't saying…you aren't implying that you…you…are…"

Naruto looked up and stared straight into Sasuke's own quivering eyes again, looking both apologetic and determined at the same time. Kyuubi could do naught but look on, feeling very much the unwanted spectator. She hoped that Naruto had really thought about what he was doing…and she desperately hoped that it didn't destroy whatever friendship they had cultivated.

"My mother…she was killed when Kyuubi attacked. She had to keep her relationship with my father a secret, so no one really knew…no one really _knows_ about this except for you, the Hokage, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Hyuuga Hiashi and Higurashi Kouseki…I was told not to tell anyone besides them about my father…but…I think…if I can tell anyone about my mother, it's you."

Sasuke looked even paler than before, and Kyuubi bit her bottom lip harder to keep from shaking in apprehension. Naruto sighed once more and collected himself.

"Sasuke, my mother's name was Misao. Uchiha Misao."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The shadow detached itself from the side of the house, taking to the rooftops as quickly as he possibly could. This changed everything. If the Kyuubi brat was an Uchiha, that meant he had the possibility of awakening the Sharingan.

Taichou would be _extremely_ interested. This opened possibilities that hadn't even been _explored_ before…Orochimaru could get what he wanted, and Taichou could get what _he_ wanted…in the end, everyone of importance won.

As he lightly touched down on a nearby rooftop, preparing to take off once more, he felt a presence behind him, and then felt no more.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tenzo scowled. It had been exactly as he suspected.

He wiped off his ANBU-issue katana of the blood it had clinging to it before he sheathed it and motioned for his partner to dispose of the body. With a swift nod, his bear masked companion picked up the body and the now body-less head before performing Shunshin no Jutsu to teleport to the Hokage's personal morgue.

The tiger masked man turned his head towards the residence of Naruto, silently wondering just what this organization wanted with the blonde. Undoubtedly, they were after the power of the Kyuubi within him…but they wanted to use _Naruto_ as a conduit of that power, rather than enslave the Kyuubi itself. He had his suspicions about the true nature of the boy, but he kept those thoughts at bay. He was on a _strictly_ need-to-know basis with the Hokage as it was, and it wouldn't help him any to dwell on rumors and hearsay.

With a swift motion, he took back off into the night, intent on finding his former Sempai and asking him a few questions. Naruto was in danger…and he would need all the help he could get. He had been right. The boy needed the ANBU even more now than ever before.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke barely registered when Naruto jerked his head towards the street at the same time as Kyuubi, both of them sharing a knowing and yet confused look. He barely registered that he was almost hyperventilating. He didn't much care, either.

This…if this was true…

No, it was. Naruto had been telling the truth. That scared him. There had been conviction in Naruto's eyes, and the tension coming off of Kyuubi, as well as Naruto himself all but confirmed it.

Naruto was an Uchiha.

He was _related_ to Naruto.

Naruto…could, conceivably, activate the Sharingan.

Itachi had not gotten them all. He wasn't alone. He had family. He was in the _presence_ of family. He was _not alone_.

Naruto could have the same power he did. Naruto could have the same goal as he did. Was his vengeance meant for more than one person? Was it right to have help, even if it was from a family member? Did Naruto want revenge on Itachi as much as he did? So many questions…not enough answers…

"Sasuke? Are you alright?"

He broke from his musings with a start as he noticed that Naruto was staring concernedly at him from an arms length away. Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat and breathed a few times before he nodded hesitantly. It was a lie, to think or even say that he was 'alright'…but…

Uchiha…Misao?

With a start, he remembered that when he had been younger, his mother had spoken of the woman in an almost reverent tone as being her 'sister', even though they were only really cousins. Apparently, his mother had been rather close to Naruto's mother. If it weren't for the absolute shock he was in, he might have smirked at the irony.

If he remembered correctly, his mother had spoken of her as being a 'brave soul'…or something like that. He had asked her before just what she had meant…but she had just smiled at him sadly and shook her head, remarking that she was simply following her heart, and then she had hugged him and urged him to do the same. He hadn't understood a word of it then, and he still didn't.

His father…had markedly disliked the woman. He had called her a 'troublesome influence', and bade him not to ask about her, lest he be 'corrupted'. He hadn't understood that, either. Then again, his father hadn't liked hardly _anyone_…and he had said to 'not ask' about quite a few people, Naruto included.

Itachi…Itachi had…remarked once…that she was 'brave'. As far as he knew, that was all his estranged older brother had ever mentioned of her.

This woman, who was already an enigma in his head…was the mother of his newest friend, second oldest rival, and newfound cousin. This time, he did allow himself a small sad smirk. How far did this rabbit hole go…?

He was again broken from his musings as he heard Naruto come back into the room from the kitchen, where he had apparently retrieved a bottle of Sake. He sat down and poured them both a saucer…and to everyone's surprise, Sasuke had downed his like a shot. Naruto allowed himself a small smile, before he refilled Sasuke's saucer once more.

Silence reigned in the room for a few minutes before Sasuke got up the nerve to speak. "Naruto…you know…this changes _everything_."

Naruto simply nodded and took a sip of his Sake. "I know. Trust me…I know. I've thought about this quite a bit, actually. I've tried to anticipate what your reaction would be…what _my_ reaction would be…so many different things I've gone through in my head, and now, none of them seem to fit the situation." Naruto smiled amusedly…a smile echoed slightly by Sasuke, who noted that Kyuubi was now in her 'fox form'…and was currently enjoying being petted in Naruto's lap. He grinned. It was probably for her benefit as much as Naruto's own stress relief.

After a few more moments, Naruto sighed and set down his saucer of sake. "Sasuke…not to sound cold…but…I don't classify family the same way you do."

Sasuke looked confused for a moment before he simply schooled himself back into a mask of impassivity, wanting to know where Naruto was going with this.

Naruto grimaced for a moment, as if reliving a bad memory, and then closed his eyes. "Sasuke…I've lived almost my entire life without family. I grew up in an orphanage, I had to start living on my own at the age of seven, and I barely had enough money from the orphans fund and Sarutobi's kindness to live off of, let alone have any luxury. Because of this…I don't trust people very much. I don't really even have a _concept_ of family. But I do know one thing. Family, to me, is the people that you care for enough to give up your life for without thinking. To me, the Hokage is family. To me, Iruka-sensei is family. Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku are family. Aside from them, I don't really count anyone else in that group."

Sasuke looked stunned and hurt at the same time, so Naruto decided to continue without pause. "You know what family is, Sasuke. You had family until Itachi murdered them in cold blood…so you know what it's like to have people who care for you unconditionally simply because they're related by blood. You know what it's like to be cared for and protected by people simply because you were born into the same family as they were. I _don't_. Please, don't hold that against me."

Naruto noticed that Sasuke's expression calmed considerably, and an expression of almost pity replaced his previously hurt visage. He scowled.

"I don't want your pity either. Remember…I grew up alone, so I had to grow up _hard_. I don't want anyone's pity…" He paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts.

He sighed. "Rather, Sasuke, I want people to acknowledge me for _me_. I want people to know who 'Naruto' is. I want people to see me on the street and acknowledge my existence, either because they fear me, or they love me. I do not care which. However…those who I consider precious to me, those who I consider family…they have already acknowledged me for simply being _me_. They do not care about my past…they don't care about the Kyuubi, and they probably don't even care that I'm an Uchiha, assuming they know. They only know me by what they've experienced of me…and because of that, I respect them, and even love them, for giving me a reason to exist."

He paused and let that simmer in Sasuke's head for a moment before he continued onto the conclusion. "I will readily acknowledge that there _is_ something to being bonded by blood…you and I, we _are_ blood relatives, that much I will not deny. However…if you want to be considered my family…if I want to be considered _your_ family…we have to be sure, to the depths of our being, that we are something to each other that we would die to protect. I have to be sure, to the depth of my being, that you will never betray me, that I can count on you at all times…and you have to be able to do the same with me. In essence, Sasuke…we must support each other with everything we are. We must become _brothers_…and that takes time."

Sasuke wore the same impassive expression he had worn at the beginning of the discussion, but Naruto could feel the emotions radiating off of him in waves. Sadness, regret, happiness, hope…his emotions were obviously a maelstrom of thoughts at the moment, and he figured that he would say one more thing, and then let Sasuke come to his own conclusion.

He smiled, which seemed to reassure Sasuke slightly. "While it _does_ take time…" he smiled even wider, and his eyes seem to regain a bit of luster, causing Sasuke's own face into a smile as well.

"…I'm willing. I'm very much willing to make what effort is needed to become your family…that is, if you think it's worth it to make your _own_ effort to become _my_ family. You're not a bad person, once you get past the layers upon layers of emotional protections…" Sasuke scowled at this, but he seemed to at least cede the point. "…and I like to think that _I'm_ not a bad person either. If you're willing…then so am I. We can become family…we can become brothers. It's up to you."

Naruto expected another long, drawn out silence, but what he got was vastly different. Sasuke smiled widely, reminding Naruto of his own 'foxy grin', and simply nodded. "Yeah. I'm willing."

Naruto returned the smile in full force…and though it was corny, they both started laughing. Naruto laughed in relief, mirth and even happiness. Sasuke laughed because he now had hope, he now had family, and he now had someone who he would be able to rely on. They both laughed, because deep down…

They both acknowledged each other.

Kyuubi smiled to herself and simply sighed in her fox form. Sometimes, she felt like she was in a damned soap opera.

Then again, considering Naruto's life…it was to be expected. She settled her head down on Naruto's lap and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of levity that had been sorely missed for quite some time. If Naruto was happy, then she would be happy. After all, when the most important person in her life was happy, what was there to be sad about?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Three figures stood in the Hokage's office, two of them standing at rapt attention, and the third standing at his favorite vantage point, puffing on his beloved pipe while watching his village's night lights play across the streets. Said figure sighed.

"This is troubling. Very troubling indeed. If _he_ is after Naruto-kun…then undoubtedly, he has _other_ aims in mind. We must be vigilant." The aged Hokage sat down in his chair, resting his forehead in his right hand, as both Kakashi and Tenzo sat down in the two chairs in front of his desk.

Kakashi was the first to speak. "If he really is after Naruto…then perhaps we should postpone the C ranked mission that we asked for until a later date…after this whole debacle has been resolved."

Sarutobi shook his head. "No…I'm afraid that's not possible. We received word from Kurenai's team that they require assistance in wave country…their C ranked mission has become at least an A ranked mission with the addition of an A ranked missing nin by the name of Momochi Zabuza, and his apprentice, to the equation. Unfortunately, I do not have the manpower necessary to send proper reinforcements…"

He sighed again, rubbing his temples with his index and middle fingers. "…that, and we have reason to believe that Hyuuga Hinata has been kidnapped by those same missing Nin. Your team is going to be dispatched first thing tomorrow morning, along with Mitarashi Anko, to reinforce Kurenai's team and rescue Hinata, as well as finish the original mission. It's simply unavoidable."

Kakashi slumped slightly, but nodded his assent. Tenzo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You _could_ ask Hiashi to send reinforcements with them, Hokage-sama. If Hinata is in danger, then no doubt they would lend assistance."

Sarutobi smiled faintly, but shook his head. "I fear that Hiashi is currently away on a diplomatic 'mission' to a rather rich village in Suna. In his absence, the Hyuuga council is in charge…and no doubt, they would leap at the chance to depose Hinata as the heir-apparent, and insert their own. We cannot risk such a political falling-out by asking them for assistance, unfortunately…especially considering that it would probably cause Hinata more harm than good."

Tenzo scowled…an expression Kakashi mirrored. Neither had much respect for the Hyuuga council…or _any_ council, for that matter…and this had just been proven to be justified, yet again.

Sarutobi sighed again, taking a long, _long_ drag from his pipe. After a few moments, he spoke. "For now…we wait and see. Tenzo, I expect you and your ANBU to keep a close eye on them, and thwart them whenever possible. You have my full permission to use whatever methods you deem necessary." Tenzo nodded and stood, throwing the aging Hokage a salute.

The Hokage turned his gaze to Kakashi. "Your job remains the same. Safeguard your team and teach them, as you have been doing. In the long run, this means little to you, as you would protect them anyway. Any information you are able to glean about their intentions or membership, however, pass along to us at the earliest possible opportunity." Kakashi too stood and saluted.

After a dismissive wave, both poofed out of existence, and Sarutobi slumped against his desk, heaving yet another sigh.

"I'm getting entirely too old for this shit."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The shadowed figure puffed on his pipe, looking at the latest report he had gotten from one of his most trusted operatives. He sighed. This _did_ change everything.

ANBU was in on this now…as was the old fool Sarutobi. Moreover, the operative that had been sent to spy on the brat had not reported in…making him believe that ANBU was working much more quickly than he had given them credit for.

He smirked. This only lent credence to his theories. If his temporary ally was right…if Naruto really was _that boy_…

He heard three knocks to his door before another figure entered, flanked on either side by one of his special ANBU. With a hand motion, the ANBU disappeared, leaving the older figure to sit down at a chair in front of his desk.

"I was informed that you had…_important_ _information_ for us. Speak of it, now…as I loathe to stay here any longer than necessary."

The figure blew smoke in the other figures direction, watching as the newcomer coughed slightly. He smirked. "So impatient, you Nin from stone are. I thought rocks were supposed to be immovable and eternal…surely you have time for a little banter before we attend to business?"

The other figure scowled, though one couldn't see it through the darkness. "I did not come here to 'banter'. I came here because you had information. If that is not the case, then I will be taking my leave." He stood for a moment before he was held down forcibly by a newly appeared ANBU, earning a startled gasp from the newcomer.

The shadowed figure smirked, but it quickly turned to a scowl. "Very well then. If you are so anxious for this information…" he stood and made his way to a file cabinet, pulling out a file marked 'top secret' and putting it unceremoniously in front of the other man.

The other man looked at it for a moment before he glanced at the figure and shrugged, opening the file and reading the contents.

By the end, he was smiling widely, and a slightly evil glint shone in his eye.

"Are you sure this information is accurate? Are you _absolutely_ sure?"

The shadowed figure puffed on his pipe and motioned dismissively. "I do not deal in fake information. That file is completely accurate. I give it to you to do with as you wish…although, I would advise you that he will be going on a C ranked mission to wave country tomorrow. Perhaps then would be the most opportune time to…do whatever it is you wish to do…"

The other figure smirked. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Either way…I am indebted to you. Please, name your price for this debt, and you shall have it."

The shadowed figure smirked even wider. "It is not my debt to collect on. In that file…you found information on a certain exiled Sannin, correct?"

The other figure nodded and held a confused look on his face. The shadowed figure simply chuckled.

"Contact him. He will know what to do. I consider this business finished. Please, exit my office and do as I asked."

The other figure started slightly at the abruptness of the dismissal, before he nodded and bowed slightly, allowing himself to be escorted from the office. The shadowed figure cackled for a few moments before another shadow made itself known in his office…this one holding a much more malicious aura.

The shadowed figure scowled. "Our deal is ended as well, Orochimaru. You have preparations to make, just as much as I do. I suggest you leave."

Orochimaru smirked and hissed out a laugh. "I was simply making sure that you know I was here, that's all. Your skills haven't dulled, have they, Danzou?

Danzou scowled deeper but didn't respond. Orochimaru chuckled and poofed out of existence, causing Danzou to shake his head and sigh.

"Are you sure that was wise, Taichou? The stone will undoubtedly use quite a large amount of force in their attempt to…_procure_ Naruto-kun. He may become useless to your designs." Kabuto stepped out of the shadows, fixing Danzou with an impassive gaze.

Danzou simply smirked and waved his hand dismissively once more, taking another puff from his pipe. "If he cannot survive an encounter with a few rock Nin, then he is already useless to my designs. Think of this as a test…as well as _bait_. You understand, don't you?"

Kabuto allowed a sinister smile to reach his lips. "Hai, Taichou-sama. Brilliant, as always."

Danzou closed his eyes and rested his head on his chair's headrest, relishing the feeling of the tobacco smoke in his lungs. He smiled, something rare for him.

"You expected any differently? I am the real Hokage of Konohagakure…all of my plans are brilliant, and simply serve this village." He took another puff on his pipe.

"The roots of Konoha are strong, Kabuto-kun…I simply wish to strengthen them." He smiled wider. "After all…if the roots are strong…then the tree is strong. But sometimes…"

"Sometimes, one must destroy the tree, and allow the roots to guide it back to rebirth."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Whew…long one. Lots of plot development in this chapter.

Not much to say really. Rock on, dudes and dudettes.

Oh, and review. I literally feed upon them. They _sustain_ me.


	9. Blood and Justice, It Begins

A/N: Man, this one took longer than usual. My apologies. Truly. Real life can be a bitch sometimes, especially when it doesn't leave you time for writing.

I think this is my longest chapter to date. Lots of goodies in here that you'll like, I think. Please, enjoy.

I don't own Naruto. I don't own Kishimoto. I _want_ to own Kyuubi. Rawr.

--------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------

Naruto yawned.

It had been quite the crazy night. They had both stayed up until almost midnight simply chatting about various and sundry things, all the while nursing bottles of Sake. Sasuke had been almost piss drunk by the time they had gone to bed, and Naruto hadn't been faring _that_ much better…although, Kyuubi had 'purged' him clean before he went to bed. Something about a hangover…he didn't quite understand that.

He didn't remember that much past telling Sasuke about his heritage, but he did vaguely remember a chat they had had regarding Sasuke's residence…something about how the Uchiha compound was big and sprawling and uninviting. Naruto didn't quite remember what had come of that conversation, but he filed it away for future clarification.

He swung his feet over the side of the bed and scratched his belly, noting that he had not had one of his normal 'study' sessions with the Kyuubi while he had been asleep. He supposed it was a bit refreshing to simply _sleep_ for once, although he did bemoan the fact that he hadn't learned anything more about poisons and antidotes. He resolved himself to go almond-hunting after their C-ranked mission later on that day. Cyanide sounded like one _hell_ of a poison.

He walked into his bathroom and commenced with his normal morning routine, noting that there hadn't been as much hot water as usual. That, and the water pressure had been considerably less than it usually was, leaving him feeling slightly less 'clean' than he normally did. He shrugged and dismissed it as a water main break or some such thing. It's not as if such a thing was uncommon in a village where battle was not out of the norm.

He shrugged on his clothes, adjusting his forehead protector and sword so that they rode on his back a bit more comfortably. He pricked his thumb and did the hand seals for the Kuchiyose, muttering the name of the jutsu under his breath as he slammed his palm down onto the ground. Once the smoke cleared, Kyuubi in her fox form was curled around his hand in a cute animalistic way, still sleeping quite soundly. Smiling, Naruto hefted her around his neck and put on his mask. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and he was in a good mood. It would be a good day.

Trundling out of his bedroom, he absentmindedly activated his enhanced senses…and froze. Water was still running…and it wasn't coming out of his room. Not only that, but there was a familiar scent down the hallway, and he heard something that sounded like splashing. He immediately went into 'ninja' mode, taking note of his surroundings and putting his right hand near the hilt of his sword, silently creeping towards a door further down the hallway that sounded like it was the origin of the disturbance.

He opened the door quietly, padding into the room with as little noise as possible. The room was lit and bright, and he noted that there were a few clothes strewn across the bed. It was a pair of white shorts and a blue shirt with a red and white fan on the back, looking as though they had just been washed and were now drying. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, but let his guard down, realizing that it was obviously Sasuke who was in the shower, as those were undoubtedly his clothes.

He was confused. Why was Sasuke in _his_ house, using one of _his_ showers? Moreover, it looked as though the bed had been used the night before. Obviously, Sasuke had spent the night _here_, rather than going back to the Uchiha compound. He scowled. Had they talked about this? Had he given permission to Sasuke to stay here, or had he simply used one of the rooms, assuming that he would be ok with it?

He realized, to his chagrin, that he didn't _really_ have any problem with it. They had both been piss drunk the night before, and considering that Naruto had gone to bed around midnight, it _would_ have made sense for Sasuke to simply spend the night here as opposed to heading across town to his own home. It's not like he didn't have the spare space.

Shaking his head, he retreated from the room and headed downstairs, making himself some bacon and eggs for breakfast, and leaving some extra for Sasuke to have. He sat down in the 'entertainment' room and turned on the television to the weather channel, noting that the forecast was sunny and bright, as it had been for weeks now.

After a few minutes, a fully dressed and smelling-of-mint Sasuke made his way down the stairs, looking a bit…_off_. Naruto just smirked. Sasuke was probably just as surprised to wake up here as Naruto was to find him here.

"Sleep well? There's some bacon and eggs on the stove, help yourself." Naruto watched as Sasuke seemed startled for a moment that he hadn't been questioned on _why_ he was here, but he quickly recomposed himself and went into the kitchen, presumably to take Naruto up on his offer.

Sasuke came back into the room after a few minutes and took a perch on the other end of the sofa, watching as the forecast made its way across the screen once more. "Do you remember why it is that I'm here?"

Naruto shook his head. "All I remember is having some sort of a conversation on your current lodgings…and then…well, we sort of passed out asleep after that, I think."

Sasuke seemed to think for a moment before he too shook his head in mirth and just a bit of frustration. "Remind me again why we drank so much?"

Naruto smirked. "We didn't drink _that_ much…you're just a lightweight. I guess you full-blood Uchiha can't take your alcohol."

Sasuke shot him a scowl and an amusedly irked expression adorned his face. "_I_ don't have the Kyuubi to conveniently _purge_ myself clean whenever I feel like it! Without her, you'd have been just as piss drunk as I was!"

"You got that right."

Both Naruto and Sasuke were surprised to see Kyuubi instantaneously transform into her human state and land gracefully in Naruto's outstretched arms. She yawned and scratched her belly before she grinned mischievously at Naruto. "You'd have been so hung over this morning…it would have been _comical_."

Naruto gave her a scowl before he unceremoniously dropped Kyuubi on her butt, earning him a vicious glare. She picked herself up and dusted herself off before she sat down in the middle seat and propped her feet up on the coffee table, surreptitiously stealing a few pieces of bacon from Naruto. Naruto picked up his plate and moved it out of Kyuubi's reach, which Kyuubi responded to by whining not unlike her fox counterpart. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk amusedly. It was downright _domestic_.

After the two humans and a fox finished their breakfasts, Naruto headed back up to his room to pack himself for the C ranked mission they would be going on, while Sasuke headed towards the Uchiha compound to pack his _own_ things. Curiously enough, Sasuke returned to Naruto's house before Naruto was done packing, citing that he 'didn't have anything better to do'. Naruto didn't press the matter.

Naruto had packed most of his clothing, as well as the greater majority of his ninja tools into his field pack, taking care to maximize space. He also brought along two different scrolls and his book on seals…which Kyuubi was curious about. The scrolls had been marked simply 'B', leading Kyuubi to believe that they were B ranked Ninjutsu that he would be learning during his mission, and the book on seals was self explanatory…but she wasn't sure that he would even have _time_ to learn on their trip, much less learn in the manner in which he normally did, via Kage Bunshin. She did cede, however, that it was probably a good idea to bring them along; at least…if he _did_ have time, he would most certainly use it well.

The thing that surprised Kyuubi, however, was the addition of medical supplies to his backpack. It wasn't much…a pump-respirator, a few tubes and a bag for field blood transfusions, and a general medical pack that included antiseptic, styptic and copious amounts of gauze and medical tape…but it surprised her nonetheless that Naruto had the forethought to even think of such a thing. She _did_ suppose that he was the unofficial medic of Team 7…but still…it amazed her to think that Naruto had taken to the role so easily.

Sasuke had packed much the same as Naruto had, putting in clothes, ninja tools, and a few fire jutsu that he had recently scrounged from the Uchiha vaults. His pack was considerably lighter than Naruto's however, considering that Naruto's ninja tools consisted of heavy explosives. Sasuke had been amazed at how heavy…in contrast to their size…grenades had been. It weighted Naruto down considerably.

After both had made sure they had everything they needed, they made their way out the door, making a leisurely pace towards their usual meeting spot. Naruto didn't have much to say to Sasuke, nor did Sasuke have much to say to Naruto…so the entire trek was done mostly in silence, much to Kyuubi's chagrin.

Once they reached the town itself, Sasuke stopped and seemed pensive for a moment, causing Naruto and Kyuubi…who was now back in her fox form…to look at him confusedly.

Sasuke turned around and shot an impassive glance at Naruto. "I need to make a detour. I've been meaning to get something for a while now…and if we're going on a C-ranked mission today, this is probably the last chance I'll have to actually get them for a while."

Naruto cocked his head. "Oh? And what is it that you've been meaning to get, exactly?"

Sasuke threw him a smirk and motioned with his head to follow him, causing Naruto to scowl slightly…but he _did_ follow. After a little while, he found himself in front of the Higurashi weapons shop, watching as a thoroughly exhausted Tenten was sweeping the front stoop. Naruto smiled.

"Oi! Tenten! It's been a while! Do you have a break from those relentless C-ranked missions Gai-sensei's been making you go on?" Naruto had raced up to the panda-eyed girl enthusiastically at first, but upon seeing her ragged appearance and seemingly half-dead demeanor, decided to calm down a bit.

Tenten looked up at him and gave a half-hearted smile. "Hi, Naruto! It has been a while, hasn't it?" She straightened herself up and leaned on her broom to steady herself, trying to depict herself as much less tired than she was…an act that Naruto didn't buy for a second. "How have you…" she yawned "…been?"

Naruto seemed thoughtful for a moment before he walked up to Tenten and without warning, scooped her up, walking inside the shop in the process. Sasuke was slightly stunned by this but didn't comment…apparently, these two knew each other.

"Na-Naruto? What the hell are you doing? I'm supposed to sweep the front steps! Put me down!" Tenten flailed a bit in Naruto's grasp, but it was completely ineffective…leading Naruto to believe that she really _was_ exhausted. Tenten was no slouch when it came to strength, and if she really wanted to get out of his hold, she probably could. Considering her weak resistance, either she was enjoying this, or she was _extremely_ tired.

"What you _need_, is some rest. You've got circles under your eyes like a damned panda, and you're as weak as a kitten. How much sleep have you been getting, anyway?" Naruto watched as Tenten tried to scowl at him, which turned into a yawn, much to her chagrin.

Instead, she seemed to relax and accept her 'fate'. "Gai-sensei has been working us non-stop for a few days…missions, training, missions…training…ugh. Between that and the shop…I guess I haven't been getting more than a few hours of sleep a night."

Naruto stopped and sent a reproachful glare at Tenten…before realizing that she couldn't see it. He scowled. He really needed to rethink this whole mask thing at some point. "Baka! You _know_ that you need to get at least six to eight hours of sleep per night! Even if you train relentlessly day after day, it won't do you a bit of good if your muscles aren't getting the rest they need to effectively rebuild and heal themselves! That's not even _mentioning_ the lactic acid buildup, or the atrophy that you'll incur by constantly tearing down but not building back up your musculature! Without your REM sleep cycle, you're effectively just sitting still for a few hours in a semi-comatose state! You can't even consider that _sleep_!"

Tenten just stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. "Since when did you become some sort of doctor?" She noticed that Sasuke seemed to smirk slightly at that, as if reliving some inside joke.

Naruto just cocked his head and chuckled. "Since about a month ago. Since you're an active duty Genin, I can take you off of active duty for a while if you want…all I'd have to do is give the order to Gai, and call it a medical directive."

Tenten gaped. "…_you_ can order _Gai-sensei_ around? He's a _Jounin_ for Kami's sake! How the hell do you think you can give _him_ orders?"

Naruto chuckled again and began walking towards the back of the shop where Tenten's father was undoubtedly working. "I can't give him orders, per se, but I can give him medical directives. I'm what's considered a 'field medic', which is basically one step below a fully certified Medic Nin. I can give medical directives and medical orders if I feel they're necessary, and most Nin with the exception of those who are superior to me medically, or the Hokage himself, are pretty much bound to follow them…if they feel like it."

Tenten and Sasuke both sweat-dropped. "If…they feel like it?"

Naruto scowled at Sasuke but turned his attention back to walking towards the back of the store. "Whether I like it or not, Chuunin, Jounin and ANBU are all superior to me in the military system…while I _can_ medically 'order' them to do something, they don't really have to follow it if they don't really want to. Mostly, it's an excusal system…I give them the order, which gives them the excuse to follow it without being in violation of other orders. Of course, if I really wanted to, I could just go to the Hokage and give him the 'order' directly…but it would be up to him as to whether he wants to follow it or not. Until I reach the level where I'm a fully certified Medical Doctor, which won't be for years, I can't give medical orders that are actually 'orders'…I can only give 'orders' that are strictly 'if-you-want-to'."

Tenten giggled at this, which earned her another glare from behind Naruto's mask. "So basically, you can tattle to Gai-sensei about my physical condition and 'recommend' that I be taken off of active duty, but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Knowing Gai, however, he probably couldn't resist my 'youthful concern for my comrade'. I can almost guarantee that he would follow my directives."

Tenten seemed to ponder this for a moment, but before she could give an answer, they arrived back in the forge room, where a sweaty and dirty Kouseki was working on a new batch of Kunai. Naruto set Tenten down on a bench and walked over to the hunched over black smith, tapping him twice on the shoulder.

He turned around to face Naruto with a scowl on his face, but seeing that it was 'just Naruto', his scowl became a grin. "Naruto! It's been entirely too long since I've seen you!"

Naruto took off his mask and gave the man a 'foxy grin'. "Sorry, I've been training like a madman the past month. I've barely had time to visit Ichiraku ramen, let alone drop by this place."

Kouseki waved him off dismissively. "No need to apologize…I told you didn't I? Make _him_ proud. That's what you've been trying to do, isn't it? That's much more important than coming to visit an old man like me."

Naruto scratched the back of his head and gave a wistful grin before he nodded, causing Kouseki to smile himself. They stood there in silence for a moment, as Tenten and Sasuke listened intently, hoping to find out just who this 'him' was. Unfortunately for them, Kouseki changed the subject.

He wiped his hands off on his apron and motioned for them to follow him into the living room attached to the forge area. "You've obviously come here for _something_…this isn't a random visit, am I right?"

Kouseki started a bit when Naruto picked Tenten back up and began following them, seemingly oblivious to Tenten's slight blush. "Yeah. Your daughter is absolutely exhausted from working too hard. She needs more sleep, better nutrition and some general rest. If Tenten wants me to, I'll even make it a medical directive to her sensei to keep her off active duty for a while."

Before Kouseki could respond, Sasuke cut in with a cough. "Well, _originally_ we came here because I needed to make a purchase. Naruto can take care of Tenten, but if we take too long, we'll be late to our team's meeting. Not like it would matter, but…"

Naruto outright laughed. "Yeah…it would just piss off Sakura to have _everyone_ but her be late…I'm sure Kakashi-sensei wouldn't give a crap…hell, he'll probably be three hours late as it is."

Kouseki stopped for a moment and looked back at Naruto with a half-amused, half-serious look. "Your sensei is Hatake Kakashi?"

Naruto and Sasuke both nodded, producing a half-grimace from Kouseki. "I suppose the Sandaime _would_ put him as your sensei…it makes the most sense. Although, why Haruno Sakura is on your team…well, that's another story for another time I guess."

Naruto cocked his head confusedly, but before he could ask anything, a woman wearing long red trousers and a tank-top shirt came into view, looking to all the world as though she had just taken a bath in coal. Naruto blinked.

It took that long for the woman to come over to Naruto and pick up Tenten into her own arms. "Tenten! What happened to you? Are you alright? Did anyone hurt you? Have you been eating enough? What's wrong?!"

Before Naruto could ask the obvious question, Kouseki cut in. "It's fine, Eika…she's just a bit exhausted, according to Naruto here. She's been working and training too hard with not enough sleep, apparently."

Eika frowned and looked at Naruto. "Is she ok? What does she need? Does she need antibiotics for it? Will she be alright?"

Naruto sweat-dropped fiercely, as did everyone else in the room. "She's…fine…Eika-san. Like Ko said, she's just suffering from a bout of exhaustion, both physical and mental by the looks of it. Bed rest, good nutrition and plenty of water is all she needs."

A muffled sound came from Tenten at that moment, and Eika apparently realized that she had been holding Tenten in a death-grip, nearly suffocating the girl in her bosom. With a gasp, Tenten was released from the death-hold and proceeded to back up from her mother in a comical way, brushing coal residue off of her face and clothes. Kouseki simply chuckled, which earned him a death glare from Tenten.

After a few more moments, all parties were seated on a few couches and recliners in the living area, while Eika went upstairs to rinse off. "Eika means well…she's just a bit of an overprotective mother. She just got back from supervising the mine work, so she's probably especially irritated."

Naruto just waved it off dismissively. "It's alright. I'm not going to blame her for worrying about the welfare of her daughter. Besides, I wanted to meet her sometime anyway."

Kouseki chuckled slightly before he seemed to remember something. "Uchiha-san…you said you were here to make a purchase, weren't you? My apologies, I shouldn't have made a customer wait so long. Please, follow me and we can get you set up with what it was that you needed."

Sasuke waved him off as well, but stood up anyway. "It's alright. Like we said before, we're not in any real hurry."

With that, the two disappeared back into the shop, leaving a half-asleep Tenten and relaxed Naruto alone. Naruto was about to start up another conversation with Tenten, when out of no where, Tenten flopped down on the couch, conveniently using Naruto's thigh as a pillow. Before Naruto could object, soft snoring sounds started to come from Tenten's mouth, and Naruto just smiled gently. He created a shadow clone and made it readjust Tenten's legs on the couch to a more comfortable position before it popped out of existence, and then he silently put one hand on Tenten's head, in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

Kyuubi jumped down and curled around Tenten's neck, providing a smidgen of warmth for the girl, which earned her a grateful smile from Naruto. They all just laid there for about fifteen minutes, enjoying the silence and warm atmosphere, before Eika, now in a pair of blue trousers and a red button-up-the front shirt came down the stairs.

Naruto couldn't help but see the similarities between Tenten and her mother. Tenten and Eika both wore their hair in two buns on top of their head, and both had the same charcoal colored eyes. Tenten's mother held herself in a relaxed and informal way, just as Tenten did, and she was tall and slender, but obviously well toned…much the same as her daughter. They would be considered carbon copies if not for the fact that Tenten held some of the ruggedness that Kouseki had passed on to her.

Eika looked at them and smiled. "Thank you for looking out after my daughter. She pushes herself extremely hard, and I suppose sometimes she overdoes it."

Naruto smiled sheepishly as Eika found a seat in a nearby recliner and propped up her legs, sighing relaxedly in the process. "I'm a medic, so I guess it's my job to make sure that the Nin of Konoha are in good shape. Besides, Tenten is my friend…friends look out for each other, right?"

Eika just nodded, her eyes closed and head back on the recliner, enjoying the feeling of relaxedness. "I'm not sure that just _friends_ would let each other sleep on each other's thighs, though."

Against his better judgment, Naruto blushed, earning a chuckle from Eika. Naruto just sighed and shook his head, returning to enjoying the silence. Both parties sweat-dropped, however, when Tenten let out loud snoring sound, which tested Naruto's ability to hold in a laugh. Eika too had to hold in a loud guffaw, making it instead come out as choked sputters. It took both a few seconds to rein their emotions enough to return to normalcy, and silence reigned for a few minutes before Eika spoke.

"Tenten doesn't actually have that many friends these days. She's been training so hard, and working at the shop so much, that she barely has time for a normal girl's social life. She used to crush on some Hyuuga like all girls of her class did, but after she got over that, she sort of stopped being social, focusing more on her ninja skills than anything else." Eika sighed, and Naruto just nodded, not sure what to say.

"When Tenten first told me that she wanted to be a Ninja…I was wholeheartedly against it. Kouseki wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either, but in the end, it was her decision. We thought that after a few months, she'd drop out of the academy and return to a normal civilian life…but as the years went by, and graduation loomed closer, we realized that she was very much serious about it. She's become even more serious as of late, especially with her sensei pushing her so hard with the Chuunin exams coming up."

Naruto nodded again and noticed that Tenten shifted slightly under his hand on her head. He looked down to find her still fast asleep. He smiled and stood up, making sure not to jostle Tenten any more than necessary, and then put her head on some pillows at the end of the couch while at the same time draping a blanket over her. He saw Eika smiling warmly at him as he made his way to a recliner adjacent to Eika's own, Kyuubi following him on his heels. As soon as he sat down, Kyuubi twined herself around his neck once more, and Eika gave a puzzled glance to Naruto which he just waved off.

"This is my pet fox, Vix. I found her on the outskirts of Konoha one day and took her in." Eika smiled at this explanation and nodded, trying to keep her slight dismay at having Naruto tote around a fox as hidden as possible. She had no problem with Naruto and his burden, but, like most citizens of Konoha, she had a bit of a superstition of foxes. She supposed it was rather normal considering how many had died against the Kyuubi.

She decided to change the subject. "So, what made Kouseki and you so friendly? I know he mentioned you in passing a few weeks back as being a 'friend'…but he didn't tell me much else, except that you were 'welcome here anytime'. Not that I would have turned you away anyway, but…it's rare for Kouseki to make such quick friends, especially with kids."

Naruto sighed and his gaze fell on the floor. "I'm afraid it's something I really can't tell you, Eika-san. I was able to tell Kouseki because of certain…circumstances…but over and above him and one other person, I'm not allowed to tell _anyone_. Just know that it's something that Kouseki and I have in common…and it does have to do with my 'burden'."

Eika gave him a startled and confused stare. "You…you know about…_it_?"

Naruto just nodded. "I found out about a month ago…the circumstances weren't the best, but for better or for worse, it's out in the open for me. It precipitated quite a bit of stuff…but…that's part of the 'stuff I can't tell you'."

She looked at him with faux frustration before she closed her eyes and shook her head with a chuckle. "Fair enough, I suppose. With you, I guess secrets are just normal as far as things go. Whenever you can, though, I'd appreciate it if you told me." Naruto nodded and Eika smiled again, bringing her gaze back to Tenten. Naruto had his own sad smile on his face as he noticed Eika watch Tenten with a motherly gaze, and he wondered, just for an instant, what it would be like to have a mother.

After about fifteen minutes of comfortable silence, Kouseki and Sasuke reentered the room quietly. Eika and Tenten were both fast asleep, and Naruto was resting quite calmly as well, though he wasn't asleep. The atmosphere had been so soporific that he couldn't help but rest a _little_ bit.

Naruto started for a moment and grabbed a pen and some paper off of the table. He hurriedly wrote down an excusal note for Tenten that he handed to Kouseki, who looked at him confused for just a moment, before realization dawned on his face. "Give that to Gai-sensei if he comes by looking for Tenten…tell him who wrote it, he'll understand."

Sasuke gestured with his head towards the door and Naruto nodded, silently agreeing that it was time to leave. Ko smiled at Naruto and nodded as well, before he turned back to his wife and daughter, getting a blanket for his wife and another pillow for Tenten. Naruto smiled, and he thought he saw the slivers of a smile on Sasuke, before they reentered the shop and went out the front door into the street again.

As they began to walk towards their meeting spot, Naruto remembered that Sasuke had bought something. "Ne, Sasuke, what exactly did you have to buy, anyway?"

Sasuke smirked arrogantly and reached into his Shuriken pouch, pulling out a pair of what looked like brass knuckles. "These. They're just about perfect for my style of taijutsu, and they can help me deliver more power and more damage behind each punch."

Naruto damn near gaped. These things were _deadly_. The knuckle portions of the weapons were somewhat standard…padded finger holes that went from the first knuckle to the third knuckle with flexible joints in between, giving them stability and spread of power….but above that…

The knucklers were more like _knives_ than anything else. The part above the middle knuckle on each finger held a horizontal blade that was obviously serrated viciously, and they were separated from each other by a centimeter wide gap in between. The blades came about a half an inch off the knucklers themselves, and were made of a coppery substance that gave it an almost golden gleam. There were small blood canals on each blade that allowed for blood to drain off of them, and the areas in between the blades were equally as sharp and jagged in a sharks-teeth fashion, giving them the ability to cut and rip effectively. They were brutal and efficient…and they were _perfect_.

Naruto gave Sasuke a smile, which Sasuke noticed only because he had been practicing trying to figure out Naruto's facial expressions behind his mask for the last month. "Those things are _horrible_. Man, I need to get myself a pair."

Sasuke smirked wider. "As if you could even use these. Your Kenjutsu might be superb, but your taijutsu is still fresh-out-of-the-academy. In hand to hand, I wouldn't even need these to kick your ass."

Naruto scowled. "I can still move faster than you can in the flow…whether it's a sword or my fists, you can't hit me and you can't catch me."

Sasuke's smirk changed to a scowl rather quickly, and he was sure that Naruto was now smirking triumphantly behind his mask. Sasuke simply gave his trademark 'Hn' and schooled his face, admitting for the moment that Naruto was right. He made a mental note to work on speed the next time they trained.

After a few minutes, they made it to the training area…and stopped cold. Naruto checked his watch, and Sasuke was rubbing his eyes furiously. To check for a genjutsu, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, but noticed nothing, and Naruto couldn't help but openly gape at the spectacle that was before them.

Naruto and Sasuke had been only ten minutes late from the 'regular' meeting time. Kakashi wasn't supposed to be here for another two hours or so. And yet…standing right in front of them, giving them both a confused stare with an irate Sakura behind him…was Kakashi.

Naruto was the first to break from the stupor. "Ka-ka…Kakashi-sensei? How…what…why…you…_on time_?!"

Sasuke just nodded, as if saying that he was asking the same question. Kakashi put his left hand behind his head and seemed to chuckle in a deadpan. "Well, our mission is kind of important today, so I figured that there wasn't any time to waste, and I figured that everyone would be here on time, so I-"

Naruto interrupted. "Important? You already have our mission? What's important enough that _you_ of all people would show up on time?"

Kakashi immediately got serious, which scared all three Genin present enough to make them snap out of their stupors or in Sakura's case, her rage. "I'll explain it on the way to the Hokage tower. We really don't have any time to waste."

Naruto and Sasuke both nodded, with Sakura gulping behind them, before they took off towards the tower at full speed. Kakashi looked behind him to see Sakura lagging slightly and slowed down…something that Sasuke and Naruto both did as well, much to their frustration.

"I'll make it brief, as the Hokage will explain the particulars. Yesterday, Team 8 received a C-ranked mission to escort a bridge-builder to the Wave country. Supposedly, the only dangers were supposed to be bandits and thieves…however, they were intercepted by two Chuunin-ranked missing Nin from Kiri on the way there, bumping the mission up to at least a B-rank. Kurenai and her team were able to fend them off rather easily, however…"

Kakashi's gaze steeled further. "…upon reaching wave itself, they were intercepted by a Jounin-level missing Nin from Kiri by the name of Momochi Zabuza, as well as his apprentice. We don't know the specifics, but shortly after dusk yesterday, a message was delivered by summoned carrier pigeon that stated that Kurenai and her team had been defeated, although apparently, all of them survived, and Kurenai was able to wound Zabuza rather badly. We aren't exactly sure what's going on now, but we do know that she asked for reinforcements in the letter…and we are being sent as those reinforcements."

Kakashi then sighed. "Also…according to the letter…we believe that Hyuuga Hinata has been kidnapped. We aren't sure of the particulars, but Kurenai made it clear that she was 'missing'. We aren't sure what exactly that means."

He stopped on a tree branch and allowed his three students to catch up with him, before he stood to his full height and fixed them all with the most serious and piercing gaze they had ever been subject to. "This mission is _at least_ an A-rank. If it weren't for the fact that Hokage-sama doesn't have anyone else to send, we wouldn't even be _considered_ for this mission. If anything, the only reason that _you_ three are going along, is to clean up the bandits and mercenaries that are undoubtedly working with Zabuza and his employer. I will ask you this only once, and all three of you must be in complete agreement. Knowing the risks…knowing the rank…do you _want_ this mission?"

Naruto…who had been eerily calm since Hinata was mentioned…lowered his head, but all three could feel the barely restrained Ki coming of him. Kakashi could even feel a bit of Kyuubi's chakra mixed into it. Sakura had to keep from shivering.

Pissed didn't accurately describe his current emotional state. Hinata was missing…possibly captured…and Kakashi was asking if they _wanted_ to go? He raised his head and looked at his sensei with a cold gaze, noting with satisfaction that Kakashi flinched ever so slightly.

"We are the only people available, right? If we don't go, who will? Hinata is my friend, and comrades are in danger…and you're asking us if we _want_ to go? We don't have a _choice_ in the matter. There _is_ no choice. We _will_ go, we _will_ rescue Hinata, and we _will_ save Kurenai and her team."

Kakashi couldn't hold back a slight smile of pride as he heard Naruto's thoughts. The boy was turning out quite alright. He noted with even more satisfaction that Sasuke had simply nodded, adding his own weight to Naruto's thoughts. His gaze shifted to Sakura, who was obviously scared witless, but he noted with at least some relief that she nodded as well, all the while throwing glances at Sasuke, perhaps wishing for his reassurances. If he noticed them, however, he didn't acknowledge them.

He nodded. "Very well then. We will be accompanied by one other Jounin on this mission, who we will meet when we reach the tower. I expect you to follow orders from her as though they were orders from _me_…even though she's a bit…well…_off_."

All three of his students sweat-dropped at this, but nodded nonetheless. They once again set off for the tower, this time at a faster pace. Even Sakura seemed motivated.

Naruto smiled in a somewhat malevolent way. He would find those bastards that took Hinata, and he would make them _pay_. Oh yes. They _would_ pay.

Kakashi flinched again as Naruto's killing intent unconsciously flared. Maybe telling Naruto that Hinata was in danger wasn't the _best_ of ideas.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

She was beginning to hate Hatake Kakashi.

The man was _late_. More than that, he was late for an _A-ranked mission_. She could fully understand shirking a D or C or even B ranked mission and being late for it…but A? No. She drew the line there. A ranked missions were _important_, damn it. Besides, she got to _kill_ people on A ranked missions, and any time that someone kept her from killing, she was _pissed off_.

Mitarashi Anko's eyes scanned the room, taking in the sights that were now becoming monotonous. She had been leaning on this wall for the better part of twenty minutes now, and the novelty of 'hanging out' in the mission room was beginning to wear thin. Even the banter between the Hokage and that cute Chuunin Umino Iruka was getting a bit stale. She unconsciously licked her lips. Maybe she could have a bit of fun before the mission.

Walking over to the desk, she bent over in front of Iruka across the desk, giving him an ample view of her cleavage. She nearly smirked when he looked away with a slightly imperceptible blush adorning his face.

"Iruka-_kun_…wasn't Kakashi and his team supposed to be here almost…" she glanced at a clock "…twenty minutes ago? He _was_ informed that _I_ would be coming along, wasn't he?" She grabbed a chair and sat down in front of him on the other side of the desk, leaning back slightly and grinning.

Iruka, still with his head pointed in the other direction, simply nodded…before he jumped in his seat a bit. "I-I don't know what could p-possibly be keeping him, Anko-san…if he isn't h-here s-soon, I'll p-p-persssssonnally…" he stopped and threw a glare at a fully smirking Anko, who was now seated. Her feet were dubiously missing from in front of her, however…and Iruka's face couldn't be redder. Anko grinned. The things one could do with their feet and a semi-willing victim…

Iruka hastily stood up and put his hands in his pockets, turning towards the window. Anko could have sworn she saw him 'adjust' something in his pants…no doubt the little 'problem' her ministrations under the table had left him with. She noticed that everyone in the room was currently fixating on her and Iruka, and she noticed with an even larger smirk that the Hokage himself seemed to be immensely amused, if a bit concerned.

Iruka turned back to her, still with his hands in his pockets, shooting her a glare. She continued to smirk. "…I'll personally go look for them if they're not here soon, Anko-san. For now, please just be _patient_."

Anko raised her eyebrows slightly at the now slightly emboldened Chuunin before her trademark sadistic grin made its way back on to her face. "Understood, Iruka-_kun_…you'd do something like that for _me_? I'm _flattered_…"

Before Iruka could register it, Anko was hanging off of his frame, her legs positioned on either side of him and her arms clinging to the back of his neck. They were literally only inches away from kissing. Anko smirked…time to have a bit of –

She noticed with a bit of surprise that her lips were not currently moving. She also noticed that her back was now positioned against the wall. Taking in her current predicament, she noticed that Iruka had flipped them against the wall adjacent to them, with Anko currently sandwiched between the Chuunin and the mahogany. She also noticed that Iruka's lips were currently very much pressed against her own, and his hands were in certain _places_ that made Anko shiver in both excitement and rage.

Before she could say anything, however, Iruka broke the kiss and stared at her with eyes that she didn't quite believe the Chuunin to possess. "Anko-_chan_…if I had known that you wanted to _play_, I would have gladly _volunteered_."

The whole room was stunned silent. The Hokage's pipe had dropped on the floor, and he looked _very_ concerned. The cashiers had stopped talking, and even the few ANBU guard in the room had completely abandoned stealth in order to _gape_ at the spectacle in front of them. It had to be a hallucination. Iruka…kindly, demure, shy **_Iruka_**…had out-done **_Anko_** in a game of 'adult' cat-and-mouse. More than that, he had taken _initiative_ with the woman…and had spoken _seductively_. Umino Iruka was _not_ seductive…Umino Iruka did _not_ take initiative with women…

The room's stunned occupants were interrupted by a serious looking Team 7 bursting through the door, Kakashi leading the way…curiously missing his orange book. After a few seconds of awkward silence, they turned to look at what everyone else in the room was looking at, and all four of them couldn't help but gape as well.

Naruto was the first to recover…somewhat. He started with a subdued snickering that quickly turned into a loud laugh, which brought everyone's attention back to the blonde haired Jinchuuriki. Iruka seemed to snap out of whatever dementia had gripped him, and his eyes widened comically before he hurriedly set Anko down and sat in his own chair once more, trying as hard as he could to shield his face from the rest of the room.

Anko just blinked. She had _not_ expected that. As far as she knew, Iruka was like a puppy. For him to act so wolfish was out of character for him, and it was strangely arousing. She couldn't help but smirk slightly.

Everyone snapped out of their musings as the Hokage cleared his throat rather loudly. "Well, if we're done 'playing'…I suggest that we get back to the matter at hand."

Anko rubbed the back of her head sheepishly and leaped over the desk to stand next to Kakashi, putting her 'mission' face on. Kakashi gave her a sideward glance, silently asking her what the hell was going on, and she just snorted. Kakashi was a pervert. _Of course_ he would ask about something like that.

Sarutobi cleared his throat again and picked up a slip of paper…his face hardening into one of intense seriousness. "Kakashi, I assume you've briefed your team on the general parameters of the mission?"

Kakashi nodded. "They have agreed to take the mission, Hokage-sama. I believe that they are ready…although, I have also specified that they are not to overstep themselves."

The Hokage nodded and looked down to his paper, sighing in the process. "The mission has changed since the time when I briefed you and Anko-san on it."

Kakashi started slightly and even Anko seemed to be piqued. "What do you mean, Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi looked straight at Kakashi with a countenance that Kakashi hadn't seen since the Great War. He gulped.

"This is now all but a war."

The room fell silent. Not a breath could be heard. Everyone in the room looked stunned and even a few looked afraid. Kakashi couldn't help but fall back on the mindset he had created for himself almost 15 years ago, during the war. If this was a war, then he needed to treat it as such.

Sarutobi sighed and then stood, facing the assembled ninja with his hands behind his back. "We've received intelligence, as of 0400 hours, that the country of wave is now under siege. A man by the name of 'Gato' and his mercenary corps are ravaging the wave country and its one major village, raping, looting and pillaging the village as much as they possibly can. We have also heard that there have been…rumors…of foreign Nin making their presence known. We are not sure as to which village they hail from, nor are we sure as to their intentions…however, if there truly are enemy Nin, we must treat this as though it is an _act of war_."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He had a sinking feeling that wouldn't go away, and he couldn't help but wonder…

Sarutobi looked straight at Kakashi and grimaced. "Unfortunately, the situation on our end hasn't changed. All I have to send are _you_. With the Chuunin exams approaching, as well as various other…troubles…that we have encountered recently, you five are all I have. You are no longer a rescue team…although, that is still a main objective. You are now an infiltration and assassination team."

Anko smirked imperceptibly. Assassination was her _specialty_. If she remembered correctly, Kakashi wasn't half bad at it either.

"Your mission is now multi-objective. The first priority is the rescue of Kurenai and her team, as well as the search and rescue of Hyuuga Hinata. Your second objective is to secure the village that they are currently staying in, by _whatever means necessary_." Kakashi narrowed his eyes further.

"Your third objective is the elimination of this 'Gato'. He is a very wealthy shipping magnate, and one of the wealthiest men in the elemental countries…however, he has taken action against _Konoha Nin_. His life is now forfeit. Over and above that, your objectives are simply to resolve the situation as best as you can." Sarutobi looked at Kakashi with a hard face and Kakashi subconsciously straightened himself.

"Kakashi, you are in overall control of this mission. Anko, you are in secondary command. The Genin are to be used as _support_ _only_. If any other reinforcements become available here, I will attempt to send them your way if at all possible." At this, the Hokage's eyes softened as he gazed across the table towards his ninjas.

"I also expect you to come back _alive_. I wish you all the best of luck. If I could send more with you, I would…but…"

"Hokage-sama…perhaps I could go with them."

Everyone in the room turned their gaze to the one who had just spoken, some of them gaping once more. Iruka stood firm, gazing at the aged Hokage with as much confidence as he could muster.

Sarutobi gave him a look halfway between pride and concern. "Iruka-kun…your duties as a teacher, as well as other circumstances –"

"I understand, Hokage-sama…however, at the moment, the academy is out of session, and you can undoubtedly find someone else to occupy my job here. I _am_ a Chuunin, Hokage-sama." Iruka looked very determined, and Naruto cocked his head to the side…he had never seen his surrogate father/brother figure like this before.

The Hokage and Iruka stared at each other for what seemed to be minutes, before the aged sage sighed. "Very well. Iruka is assigned to this mission as well, although, I want him used as 'backup' as much as possible…understood, Kakashi?"

Kakashi nodded. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

Iruka smiled, but seemed to be peeved at being 'backup'. "You won't regret it, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi smiled as well, but Anko could tell that there was something hidden behind it…she made a mental note to find out more about the kindly dolphin that had now become a bit more of a mystery to her.

Iruka bounded over the desk and to the side of Naruto, putting his hand in Naruto's hair and ruffling it, much to the consternation of Naruto, who playfully slapped Iruka's hand away…earning a chuckle from the Chuunin, and an amused, if not warm smile from the Hokage.

The old man cleared his throat again, gaining the attention of everyone in the room, his face once again set in a vision of seriousness. "One last thing…this is classified as an S-class mission as of right now. If things get too bad, I want you to get Kurenai and her team out of there and return here for reinforcements…I won't have you fighting a battle that you can't win."

Everyone, at this, started. Giving an S-class mission to two Jounin, one Chuunin and three Genin was _unheard of_. Moreover, sending said team to stop a potential _war_ was even more unheard of. Sasuke visibly smiled. He would get a good test of his skills.

Sakura, on the other hand, had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from shivering in fear. It wasn't that she wasn't ready…or at least, she didn't think she wasn't ready…but more that she would be required to _kill_ on this mission. She had heard bad things about ninja's first kills, and she had heard even worse things about S-class missions…and wars…she closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. She would have to be careful. This wasn't just some idiotic C-class mission, nor was it a harder A-class…it was an _S-class_…if she messed up here…she was dead.

Anko smiled, looking to all the world as a snake coiled for the kill. S-class missions were _fun_ beyond measure. She had only gone on a few of them in her lifetime, and this would undoubtedly be one of the better ones. She made a mental note to thank Kurenai for giving her the opportunity.

Sarutobi nodded his head once and sat down, satisfied that his ninja could do the job. "If there are no questions, you're dismissed."

When no one spoke up, Kakashi motioned for them all to 'move out', which consisted of them going back through the door and walking out to the street. As soon as they were out the door, Sarutobi sighed and slumped in his seat, taking a long drag on his pipe.

Tenzo, who had been one of the guards in the room, walked up to him and got in somewhat close proximity so that their conversation wouldn't be overheard. "Hokage-sama…are you sure it was wise to send _Iruka_ on this mission? There's a reason why he was taken off of active duty…"

Sarutobi just looked at him tiredly, for once, showing his age. "We needed all the people we could get for this mission. Regardless of his past…he's a good ninja. His…training…may prove to be a boon to their efforts." He sighed again, this time slumping even further into his seat, and rubbing between his eyes.

"It's the same reason that I sent Naruto. Like it or not…he's a weapon. Weapons like him can make up for a lack of soldiers in a pinch…and Iruka…well…"

Tenzo just nodded, realizing that in this case, it was very much a no-win situation. "I understand, Hokage-sama. I just hope that he doesn't fully regress."

Sarutobi shook his head. "You and me both. I've either just unleashed hell upon the enemies of wave, or unleashed hell indiscriminately. Either way…"

He took another drag off of his pipe, watching as a few Genin came in for a D-ranked mission. He grimaced.

"Either way, wave will be bathed in blood."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi sighed. They hadn't packed for an S-ranked mission. Hell, he doubted that his team had packed for anything more than a _C-ranked_ mission. They would need to re-inventory.

He turned to his team and motioned for them to gather round, which they did hurriedly. His mindset was still very much in 'war' mode…and it showed in his one visible eye. This was a serious mission, and everyone here would need to take it as seriously as he was.

"I'll give you all 30 minutes to re-pack for an S-rank mission. This means that you need to get more Kunai, more Shuriken, more provisions, and if possible, lose any vanity items you may be carrying. I'm going to be setting a hard pace when we set out, so pack as lightly as you can…and Sasuke, I suggest you either leave your weights behind, or seal them into their scroll."

Sasuke looked startled for a second, before he nodded. In truth, he didn't even know that Kakashi knew he _wore_ weights, much less that he knew that Naruto had given him a storage scroll for them. He made a mental note to ask Kakashi what _else_ he knew about them that they didn't know he knew.

Kakashi looked at Sakura next. "I know you're carrying makeup and extra clothes, and I want you to unpack those immediately. You won't have time for vanity, and I doubt seriously that you're going to care about looking good while you're in battle."

Sakura looked sheepish for a moment before she nodded. Anko scowled. This kid brought _makeup_ on missions? She would definitely have a talk with Kakashi about her training. Kunoichi couldn't afford to be like that on the field, and it was Sakura's type of Kunoichi that gave the rest of them a bad name.

Kakashi then looked at Iruka, noting that he seemed to be more focused than he'd seen him in quite some time. "I know you didn't pack at all, so feel free to take a little extra time if you need, but be back here as soon as you can. I'm sure you know what to pack."

Iruka nodded and leapt off, undoubtedly to get a head start on packing. Naruto smiled. Iruka never liked to hold people back.

Giving a hand wave, he dismissed his team to do what they needed to do. All five of them, Kakashi included, bounded off in separate directions to pack for their mission, each with different thoughts and worries on their mind.

---------------------------------------------------------

"You two are back so soon? Don't tell me your mission was _that_ easy!"

Naruto nearly sweat-dropped. Leave it to Kouseki to bring levity to a serious situation.

Instead, he just shook his head. "No…our mission has been upgraded. Sasuke and I both need more Shuriken and Kunai."

Kouseki seemed to immediately get serious. "Upgraded, you say? To what? I wasn't aware that Genin were allowed on missions greater than C in rank. In fact, I _know_ that Genin aren't allowed on B-ranked missions…unless there are other circumstances."

Sasuke smirked slightly, but it lacked its regular arrogance. "It's not a B-ranked mission. It's S. And yes, there are _other_ circumstances."

Naruto noticed Kouseki's eyes go wide, and his face paled slightly. "S-ranked?! That's _absurd_! Sending a Genin team on an S-ranked mission…what has it come to that we're sending our _Genin_ on S-ranked missions…"

"There are _other_ circumstances, as Sasuke said. We're mostly going along for support purposes…we have another Jounin and a Chuunin accompanying us as well." Some color came back into Kouseki's face, but his eyes remained wide. Naruto scowled. They weren't here to be mother-henned.

"We're kind of on a tight schedule here, so I'm afraid any pleasantries have to wait. We'll both need twenty more kunai and forty more shuriken." Naruto watched as Kouseki calmed even more, before he nodded and went into the back, no doubt to dip into his 'personal' store of high-quality merchandise.

After a few minutes, he emerged carrying two separate bags. "Each of these bags holds twenty kunai and forty shuriken, just like you asked. I'll put it on your tab for now. If you're on a schedule, you don't have time to pay for these."

Naruto allowed himself a smile. "Thanks, Ko. I'll settle the tab when I come back. Give my regards to Tenten and Eika for me!"

Kouseki smiled as well. "I will. Just make sure to come back alive, alright?"

Naruto nodded, his smile increasing. "You got it, Oyaji. Let's go, Sasuke" Naruto and Sasuke both nodded their heads towards Kouseki and promptly left the store. Kouseki grimaced behind them, pulling out a bottle of sake in the process. Tenten would _not _take this well.

Once outside, both Genin unwrapped their kunai and shuriken and packed them into their backpack and shuriken pouch respectively. Sasuke then unhooked his weights from his ankles and wrists, allowing them to fall rather heavily on the ground. Naruto had to restrain a startled yelp when the weights created craters.

Sasuke produced a small scroll from his backpack that Naruto recognized immediately as one of the many storage scrolls he had made in the past month. He had given one of them to Sasuke to keep his weights in when he didn't need them, so that he could keep them with him without still carrying the weight. All it took was a small spattering of blood and a ram seal, and whatever object was placed on top of the scroll was sealed into it. It was truly ingenious, and really, one of the most basic seal arrays in Naruto's entire arsenal.

As Sasuke was sealing his weights, Naruto brought out three storage scrolls and sealed his clothing, Ninjutsu scrolls, and book on sealing into them, so as to keep them from getting damaged if he were hit by anything. He kept his heavier and more explosive tools out without sealing them, reasoning that if he were to be caught unawares, he would like to have access to them without having to unseal them first. He also kept his medical tools out for quick access, reasoning yet again that quickness of access outweighed space conservation.

After the two were done, they nodded to each other and set off towards the Hokage tower, both of them finishing well ahead of schedule. They noticed that Kakashi and Anko were both there already, Kakashi once again devoid of his orange book, and Anko simply polishing a Kunai. They all settled into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, as Sakura and finally Iruka arrived, both ahead of schedule.

Kakashi stood up from the wall he had been leaning on and gave his team a once over. Sasuke looked considerably lighter than he had been…Naruto looked more determined than ever, Iruka looked…like Iruka…and Sakura looked as neutral as she could be. She kept throwing looks at Sasuke, which Kakashi wrote off as her need for reassurance. Sasuke was most certainly _not_ giving any.

"Is everyone ready?" Kakashi received five different nods. He nodded as well in affirmation and turned around, heading towards the gate. All six of them arrived and made sure to check in with the Chuunin at the gate, confirming that their departure was recorded. Kakashi turned around and began to address his team.

"I'm going to be setting a hard and fast pace. I want to reach wave within a few hours, if at all possible. If you can't keep up, we'll carry you. I won't leave any member of this team behind, but I also won't sacrifice time if I don't have to." Seeing everyone nod, and Sakura gulp slightly, he continued.

"As soon as we hit wave, we're going to be in the thick of it. If there really are enemy Nin skulking around wave, there's the possibility that we might be followed. Under no circumstances are _any_ of you three to engage a Nin without either my, or Anko's direct order. Understood?" Seeing three distinct nods, and Sakura gulp again, he decided to end it quickly.

"Iruka, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura…you four are going to be the ones taking on the mercenaries when we reach wave. Anko and I will find and reinforce Kurenai's team when we arrive, as they'll be the most probable target for any Nin that might want to take their chance. As soon as you finish up with the mercenaries, I want you to head towards wherever Anko or I are, and we can go from there." Kakashi reached into his pocket and produced six different ear bud headsets and handed them to all the members of his team, attaching one to himself as well. Once everyone had a headset secured, he tapped the transmit button once, and upon seeing everyone confirm that it worked, he nodded.

"We will keep in contact with these headsets. If you're in trouble, say so. If someone else is in trouble, say so. Over communication is always better than under communication. I'll ask again, is everyone ready?"

Kakashi got five different nods. Nodding back to his team, he turned around and walked a few paces before he motioned with his hand to take to the trees. All six of them bounded up into the treetops, taking a fast and hard pace, just as he had said. Naruto grinned and set himself into determination. He would save Hinata. He would kill whoever was holding her. He swore it to himself.

"I'm coming, Hinata. May Kami have mercy on your captors, for I will not."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto couldn't help but marvel at Kakashi. He truly was a Jounin.

Every inch of his sensei exuded determination. Even an hour into their trip, and their sensei had not once faltered…he had not once looked behind him. It was as though he was following a wolf hunting its prey…behind the wolf, you were safe, protected…but in front of the wolf…you would be torn to shreds.

Kakashi most certainly hadn't lied. Their pace was _fast_. He was able to keep up without resorting to using the flow for travel, but only barely. Sasuke seemed to be keeping up much more easily than he was; a fact which Sasuke would undoubtedly use in his favor when this was all over. Anko seemed to be spaced out next to Kakashi, seemingly on autopilot. Iruka was struggling just a bit to keep up, but seemed to be doing better than Sasuke or Naruto was. Sakura, however…

She was barely keeping up. You could tell that she was using every last bit of chakra she had, and every last bit of stamina that she possessed to _make_ herself keep up with her team. But she was rapidly tiring. You could see it in every muscle, you could see it in her face, and you could see it in her eyes. She was _tired_. Naruto sighed. At the very least, she was making an effort.

"Sakura. If you want, you can piggyback on me." Naruto decided that while he might not like the girl, she was still his teammate. Kakashi had told them never to leave a teammate behind, and he wasn't about to start now.

Sakura seemed to start for a second before she shook her head. "No…I can keep going. Besides…if looks like you…" Sakura paused to pant a bit "are struggling almost as much as…I am…to keep up…"

Naruto scowled. Sakura was panting even in her talking. The girl was _tired_. She had already proved her point.

With a deft move, he caught Sakura mid-leap and positioned her on his back with another move. Sakura yelped. Naruto groaned. Sakura wasn't heavy, but the added weight was more than enough to cause his exertions to increase by double.

"Na-Naruto! I said I was fine, damn it! Put me down!" Sakura made as if to bop him on the head, and Naruto cringed just slightly.

He was saved by Kakashi. "Sakura, you were obviously at your limit. You've proved your point. Let Naruto carry you."

Sakura sputtered slightly, but after a few moments, she simply nodded, her face a forlorn expression of her disappointment. Sasuke threw him a smirk, and Naruto scowled. He was giving Sasuke even _more_ ammunition.

They traveled in relative silence again for almost another hour, before Naruto finally felt himself tire. He wasn't exhausted by any stretch of the imagination…rather, he was simply slightly _winded_. This wouldn't do. If he had to start fighting as soon as he hit wave, he would need to conserve his strength. The added weight of Sakura on his back was quickly sapping him of strength and stamina, and even though the girl wasn't heavy, any extra weight added to the energy expenditure needed to move it almost exponentially.

_'Oi, Kyuubi.'_

He felt the fox stir around his neck slightly; giving what amounted to a fox's yawn. **_'What? I was having a good dream, damn it…'_**

Naruto smirked. _'About rabbits and running in a field of flowers again?'_

Kyuubi nipped his neck, causing him to flinch slightly. **_'No…I won't tell you. Now, what is it you wanted?'_**

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It was rare for Kyuubi to withhold _anything_ from him…he filed it away for later thought. _'I need you to carry Sakura, and if possible, funnel a bit of your chakra into my coils after she's off my back.'_

He could _feel_ Kyuubi scowl…even if he couldn't see it. **_'I'm not some god damned over-glorified _horse_ Naruto! Just create a Kage Bunshin or something to carry her.'_**

Naruto scowled right back. _'And if the Kage Bunshin gets dispelled while he's carrying her? I may not like her, but I don't want her to have a broken body, either. Just carry her, eh? I'll make it up to you by letting you have some fun when we get to wave.'_

He waited for what seemed like a few minutes, before he heard Kyuubi sigh in his mind. **_'Fine. But you _owe_ me.'_**

Naruto smiled. _'Thanks, Kyuubi'_

Kyuubi rolled her eyes, but Naruto could _feel_ a small smile coming off of her. With a leap full of vulpine grace, she leaped off of Naruto's neck and onto the nearest branch. Naruto concentrated. He broke into Kyuubi's chakra reserve and simply _pushed_.

The results were instantaneous, if not incredible. Red chakra began to boil out of Kyuubi's body at a rather large rate, causing Anko, Iruka and Kakashi to visibly start. Iruka almost _tripped_. Naruto restrained a chuckle.

The red chakra began to form the shape of a larger fox around Kyuubi's chakra-constructed body, and after a few moments, what had once been a running chibi-fox, was now a fox the size of an oversized St. Bernard. Her whisker marks were more defined, her eyes glowed slightly red, and she held viciously gleaming fangs in what Naruto construed as a smile. He supposed that she _did_ like that form quite a bit.

Over the past month, Kyuubi had trained herself almost as much as Naruto had. She had practiced taking more and more chakra, and she even practiced using that chakra for things other than simply sustaining her corporeal form. They had managed to get her form to this size within the last few days of training. She was roughly 3 feet tall from paws to back, and almost 4 feet long from flank to neck. She wasn't _huge_, but for a fox, she was definitely larger than most.

Kyuubi nipped at the back of a now sleeping Sakura's shirt, grabbing onto it and all but throwing the girl onto her back, making sure she was secured by exuding a small amount of chakra to keep her 'glued' to her back. Sakura didn't even stir. Naruto felt a little bit of Kyuubi's chakra funnel into his system and sighed audibly. Kyuubi's chakra was like a drug…he felt quite a bit better after he had taken it.

Sasuke just shook his head and smirked. Kyuubi loved showing off her larger form. The first time he had seen her that large, he had remarked that she was getting 'fat'…that had been his first and last attempt at humor at Kyuubi's expense. He rubbed his butt. She had left fang marks.

Anko, who knew nothing of the true nature of the fox that had just transformed, seemed to be the most perplexed, and the most concerned. Naruto noticed that she even had a kunai drawn. He scowled. "Anko-san…she's no more dangerous to you than one of the Inuzuka's dogs. She's only dangerous to enemies. You aren't an enemy…although the Kunai in your hand might say otherwise."

Anko seemed to fluster before she formed a sheepish grin and put her kunai back into its holster, though she still looked wary. "Heh, sorry…not every day you see a fox get five times bigger before your eyes…especially with _that_ chakra."

Naruto grinned underneath his mask. So she _did_ recognize the chakra. "Eh, just a convenient little jutsu that I came up with to make her useful in combat. Seemed more logical to use _that_ chakra than to use –"

Naruto _stopped_.

He smelled something. It smelled _horrible_. It was like month-old body odor mixed with human urine and other human excretions that Naruto didn't quite want to think about. The scent of booze hung like an oppressive blanket, and…he growled. He knew that scent…he had smelled it on a man who had obviously just finished up a session with a local whore back in Konoha. It was the scent of _sex_.

"So, you finally smelled it? I was wondering how long it would take you."

Naruto broke from his thoughts and stared up at his Sensei who was now on the branch next to him. "I smelled it a few miles back, but I didn't want to say anything…we'll strategize more once we get closer to take a better look."

Naruto blinked. Sasuke looked _immensely_ confused, and even Anko seemed to be completely oblivious. Strangely, Iruka seemed to know what was going on…which perplexed him, considering that as far as he knew, the man didn't have the ability to enhance his senses. Sakura was just waking after Kyuubi had flicked her with her tail, so she was just rubbing her eyes tiredly.

Kakashi motioned for them to continue, which they did. Continuing in the same direction they had been going in, Anko noticed it first. She didn't exactly have enhanced senses, but the stench was just so overpowering the closer you got…one couldn't help but notice it.

Sasuke noticed it shortly after her. He too knew how to enhance his senses with chakra, but he hadn't been practicing it at the time. He had been conserving his chakra for travel. The smell was very much prevalent, however, the closer you got to it.

Sakura noticed it last, of course…once again jumping on her own power through the trees. It smelled _horrible_, whatever it was. It was like wandering into the ghetto in Konoha…it was the stench of booze…and other things…Sakura shuddered. She had wandered into the ghetto once before, when her mother had lost track of her. The smell of it had been something she had never forgotten. After all, smell_ was_ the strongest scent tied to memory. This smell…was very similar.

They traveled for a few more minutes, before Kakashi motioned for them to stop. He jumped down to the ground and motioned for all of them to gather around, which they did post-haste. Once they were settled, Kakashi began.

"I smelled that odor a few miles back…to those of us without enhanced senses of smell…" Anko, Sakura and even Sasuke blinked once "…it's the smell of booze, body odor, and human carnality."

Anko scowled. _Carnality_ was simply another word for _sex_. This close to a potential war zone, she doubted that it was simply a few lovers finding solace in one another. More like…she pushed that thought from her mind. It wouldn't do for her to think about such things at a time like this. She made a mental note to kill the bastards responsible, however.

Sakura's eyes widened slightly. If that meant what she thought it meant…she shuddered, and then narrowed her eyes. Perhaps there were things worth getting your hands dirty over.

Kakashi continued. "Based solely off of the smell, we can conclude that it's probably a bandit camp…and considering how overpowering it is, it's most likely quite large as well. We'll need to do some scouting. Follow me."

Naruto, and the rest of the team, nodded. Following their leaders orders, they followed Kakashi through the underbrush for a few moments, weaving in and out of it so as to make minimal amounts of noise…before they came to a small ridge. Kakashi motioned for them to lie in a prone position, and they crept up to the precipice. What they saw made Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura gasp.

It was a hovel, at best…a trash dump at worst. It was a large expanse of tents, cooking fires, and mercenaries that went on for probably close to a quarter mile. The ill-hygienic men were milling about contentedly and haphazardly, some of them passed out drunk, others biting into large portions of food, and still others harassing some women that had obvious rope collars around their necks. Naruto noticed with a scowl that the women had the scent of _sex_ rolling off of them in waves. He had to restrain the urge to go on a wholesale slaughter at the implications.

He noticed Kakashi grimace before he motioned for them to pull back. They gathered around him once more.

"This is obviously one of the main mercenary camps that Gato keeps his army at. We stumbled upon it either by dumb luck…or they've been stepping up their efforts. Either way…we're going to need to destroy it."

Naruto looked at his sensei as if he were an abomination of nature. "_Destroy it_?! With all due respect sensei, are you out of your mind?!"

Kakashi gave him a level glare. "We are ninja, Naruto…they are nothing but mercenaries. Have you forgotten that this is a _war_?"

Having nothing to retort with, Naruto just turned his head to the side and scowled. Kakashi sighed.

"I'm guessing that there are probably around two hundred to three hundred mercenaries in that camp. For two Jounin, a Chuunin and three well-trained Genin, this shouldn't be too much of a challenge to handle, assuming we plan well. Don't worry…if it's any consolation, I've done this before."

Anko smirked, Iruka chuckled, and the three Genin just stared at him confused. Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a long story…I'll tell you later. Suffice it to say that this isn't the first time that I've gone up against horrible odds and come out victorious. Like I said, we just need a good plan…and I think I have one."

Kakashi took out a Kunai and lazily pointed it at Anko. "Anko, I want you to take Sakura and circle around the camp, picking off stragglers, runners and the inebriated. Also, I want you to evacuate any captives they have in the camp itself…I know it's not much of a challenge, but you're better at sniping like that than I am, and those captive women didn't seem to be fully clothed. They'll respond much more readily to a woman than a man."

Anko and Sakura both nodded. "Iruka, I want you and Naruto to charge straight up the middle. Naruto, make free use of Kage Bunshin and other high-chakra Jutsu, and Iruka, watch his back. You two are effectively our distraction."

Naruto and Iruka both nodded…and Iruka noted that Naruto seemed somewhat happy. He raised an eyebrow at that. "Sasuke…you and I will sneak into the camp itself and find whoever's in command. Our job will be to capture him for questioning if at all possible…but barring that, we'll simply assassinate him outright. Once we've accomplished that, you will go to reinforce Anko and Sakura, while I will go reinforce Iruka and Naruto."

"After the leader is captured or dead and the captives have been evacuated, then we will simply get rid of the rest of the mercenaries in the camp. All of us working together should make it a much easier prospect than it seems."

Everyone nodded. Kakashi twirled his kunai absently, but caught it and brought it into a ready grip, fixing his team with a level stare. "Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto…"

He sighed. "I know that this is your first mission above D-class…and I know that this is a lot of pressure to put on you…but whatever you do…do not hesitate to deal a killing blow."

Sasuke's eyes widened imperceptibly, Naruto's posture tightened only slightly…but Sakura gasped. "Ki…Killing blow, Sensei?"

Kakashi nodded. "We're not dealing with a bunch of punk bandits or thieves here…we're dealing with mercenaries. They would not hesitate to kill you in an instant, and you shouldn't either. The more that we kill here, the less we have to deal with later. It may seem cold, but it's the reality of our chosen profession. Kill, or be killed. We can deal with the consequences afterwards."

Kakashi stood up. "This will be a trial by fire for you three. Do not hesitate, do not retreat, and whatever you do…stay alive. Understood?"

All three Genin nodded. Kakashi smiled sadly underneath his mask. He was asking them to throw away their innocence, and they were complying so easily…he wondered, not for the first time, just what sort of business this ninja thing was.

He schooled himself quickly. It was time. "Right. You know what to do. This whole thing starts as soon as Iruka and Naruto create the distraction. Go!"

All six of them flashed away, running and jumping to whatever spot they thought was best to start out from. Anko and Sakura picked what looked to be a good escape route for the mercenaries…Kakashi and Sasuke took to the treetops, hoping to drop down into the middle of the camp without having to go through.

Iruka and Naruto picked the area where they saw the lowest concentration of mercenaries. It gave them room to fight, and room to create a distraction.

Naruto had been smiling ever since he had heard that he was to be the simple 'distraction'. It meant that he didn't have any restrictions. No objectives…no boundaries…just battle. His smile grew. These were the people who were indirectly responsible for Hinata's capture. They would feel pain.

Subconsciously, he drew on a small amount of Kyuubi's chakra, and shivered at the feeling. Kyuubi, who was still in her large state, was next to him, baring her fangs and almost drooling in anticipation. Iruka looked determined.

Everyone was set. Naruto sized up the mercenaries that were about thirty feet in front of him, and, if possible, his smile grew even wider. They were relatively small in number, but they were tightly clumped together around a camp fire. He knew just what to do.

Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a cylindrical object, roughly six inches in diameter. It had a nub on top with a small paper like note wrapped around a piece of metal. The encasing looked to be made of a dark olive ceramic, and it weighed maybe ten pounds.

Iruka looked confused. "Naruto…what is that?"

Naruto looked at Iruka with his smile firmly in place, although Iruka couldn't see it. "This is a 'grenade'…think of it like an explosive note on soldier pills. I funnel a bit of chakra into the timer note on top, and roughly seven seconds after that, it explodes. The explosion is big, so I suggest you shield your face when it goes off."

Iruka still looked confused, but nodded nonetheless. Naruto crept forward slightly and took aim…he then funneled a small amount of chakra into the timer note, which caused the note to burn down…and he threw it.

The grenade landed in the middle of the mercenaries, causing the drunk and woefully off-guard men to look at it with confusion. A few seconds passed where one of the men picked it up and looked at it, before he threw it to his buddy to look at. A couple more seconds passed, and the buddy caught it, giving it a look over…

A deafening boom shook the ground that Iruka and Naruto stood on, and a small blanket of smoke obscured everyone's vision. All that could be heard afterwards was screaming.

The smoke cleared with a gust of wind, and Iruka gasped. The eight or nine men who had been around the campfire, were now hunks of _meat_. The one who had been holding the 'grenade' was no where to be seen, and the ones directly next to him were smoking stumps from the waist up. Two of them who were slightly further away simply had crushed and mutilated skulls. However…

There were a few who weren't so lucky. Two of the men were writhing on the ground, one of them clutching a stump of a leg, the other clutching a mangled forearm. The last one had a piece of wood embedded into his forehead…but apparently it wasn't enough to kill him, as he too was thrashing wildly. Iruka grimaced. What a terrible, terrible…_effective_…weapon.

Naruto paused just a moment to reflect on his first kill…s. Strangely…or perhaps, not so strangely…he didn't feel a thing. He remembered, with sudden clarity, the words of Kyuubi almost a month ago.

_"You're wondering why it is that the prospect of killing entices you so, eh? I told you that a suppression seal was torn asunder when I broke your impression seal, allowing some of my chakra to mingle with your own without any sort of hindrance. This is the basis of at least some of your changes, both mentally and physically. Your growth spurt, as well as a slightly more primal mindset is just one of the many perks of having ultra-potent chakra such as mine mix with your own. In short, you became more bestial than you were before, and this includes a higher sense of bloodlust. This not only carries into battle, but into…other…facets of your life as well. I don't think you'll really care about that, however, until you reach a few years older than you are now."_

He smirked. So, _this_ was primal, eh? The inability…or rather, the unwillingness to feel remorse for a justified death. They were the prey, and he was the predator…their deaths were necessary, because _he_ willed it as such.

Relying more on his human side, however…he came to the conclusion that he did not feel remorse. They were his enemies…and they were certainly not _good_ people. Whether they deserved to die or not…he didn't much care. The fact of the matter is that they were dead, and they wouldn't be causing any more harm to anyone ever again.

He stood. This is what being a ninja was. Killing…or being killed. It was just that simple now. He would feel little from taking life, but he would always hold it in reverence. Forming a hand seal, he decided that he could very much live with that.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

His voice rang out across the clearing the mercenaries were currently scurrying in, and an instant later, a blanket of smoke obscured their position. Iruka raised a Kunai. His job was to cover Naruto as best as he could…Naruto being much more adept at distraction than he was. He would do his job with _gusto_.

The smoke cleared, revealing literally hundreds of Naruto's now standing among the original. By now, a great many mercenaries had gathered at the sight of the prior explosion, and all of them looked dumbstruck to be facing an army of identical blondes. Naruto smirked behind his mask.

With a mental command, his clones charged. A few were taken out as soon as they reached the mercenaries, but more than a few of the unwieldy men fell to sword wounds and well placed punches. The mercenaries, seeing that they were outnumbered and out skilled, began to retreat.

Naruto wouldn't allow it. Drawing his sword, he charged the first mercenary in his path. He brought his sword down across the man's back at a diagonal pitch, causing blood to spray from the man's wound. It had been deep enough that the man would probably bleed out.

Finding another mercenary, he slashed horizontally, hoping to cleave the man in two. Unlike before, however, this mercenary seemed to be on guard, and he raised his own shoddy sword to defend against Naruto's.

Naruto's sword clashed with the man's, and produced a few sparks. Pivoting on his heel, he twirled clockwise around the man, crouching in the process. Using the momentum of his twirl, he brought his sword in a low arc across the man's kneecaps, managing to evade the man's attempt to parry. His opponent screamed in pain and dropped to his injured knees, before Naruto brought his sword into a cross-grip and cleanly decapitated the man, stepping away so as to avoid the blood spray that accompanied the arterial pressure.

Another mercenary charged him head on, seeing his 'comrades' death. He brought his sword into a high parry position and blocked the mercenary's sword cleanly, before dragging his sword across the length of the other man's blade and bringing it back to a plunging position. In the blink of an eye, he activated the flow, and in another blink, the man was impaled swiftly through the heart…Naruto's blade sticking out of his back, dripping blood.

Iruka blinked. Naruto was moving with _ruthless_ precision. He and his clones had already killed at _least_ twenty different mercenaries, and…this blue glow that was coming from Naruto was confusing. It somehow allowed Naruto to move extremely quickly, without a visible movement of limbs. He made a mental note to ask his former student about it later.

Naruto, still in the flow, surveyed the mercenaries who had now formed a line further down in the clearing. A few of them looked absolutely petrified with terror, and still others looked perplexed at the glow that enveloped the masked demon container. Naruto smiled evilly. If they wanted a demonstration, they would _get_ one.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared. No afterimage, no rustling of leaves, no sound…he simply _disappeared_. A few of the mercenaries smirked, thinking that the boy had left. Others kept looking around themselves, trying to find where the blonde had disappeared _to_.

Their questions were answers when two mercenaries on the end of the line screamed and fell, headless. Another found himself missing a leg and an arm, and two others had holes in their head. No trace of Naruto could be seen. The dead mercenaries fell to the ground with a thump…and that seemed to be the cue for the remaining mercenaries who were at the position to finally break rank and run.

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A rain of Shuriken fell upon the retreating mercenaries, cutting down many. One mercenary was raked through the eye by the edge of a shuriken, while others were simply ripped through by the force. Naruto fell to the ground from his position in the sky just seconds earlier, and formed another set of seals.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Iruka watched as a great ball of fire descended upon a small clump of wounded mercenaries, and he heard a momentary scream that was silenced by a larger explosion. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing but scorched earth and the smell of ozone…the smell of incinerated bodies. He wrinkled his nose. He would never get used to that smell.

He decided that it was his turn to join the fray. He charged a mercenary who had been trying to get closer to Naruto, and with a deft motion, grabbed his head, snapping his neck in the process. He raised his kunai and threw it at a mercenary just to his left, watching with a small amount of satisfaction as it stabbed into the man's neck, causing almost instant death. He pulled another Kunai and went about stabbing two different men in the stomach, before slitting their throats unceremoniously. He grimaced. He had never liked killing.

Naruto watched his older brother figure take out a few mercenaries and smiled. It felt good to be battling alongside Iruka. In battle, they were equals. He could watch Iruka's back, and Iruka could watch his. Besides the fact that he could finally see Iruka in action. So far, he wasn't disappointed.

Naruto brought his sword down on a nearby mercenary's shoulder, cleaving the man from shoulder to waist in a diagonal slash that caused his torso to separate from the rest of his body. He pivoted on the balls of his feet and ran another man through his stomach, before drawing a Kunai and throwing it at a routing mercenary, watching as the Kunai plunged into the middle of the man's back, stabbing him in the heart.

He activated the flow once more, and sped to where a man was raising a bow and arrow to fire at him. Before the other man could blink, Naruto's sword had cut the bow in half lengthwise, and with another quick motion, he eviscerated the mercenary, wincing only slightly as the man screamed and writhed on the ground.

Throughout all of this, Kyuubi had been finding her own targets. She had ripped the throats out of three mercenaries already, and she was now facing another who was backing up towards a tree, holding his sword at the ready to try to take a swipe at her. She smiled fiercely in her fox form. With a quick leap, she grabbed the man's sword in her mouth and ripped it out of his grasp, throwing it to the ground to her left. The man fell on his backside and his eyes widened, before Kyuubi's fangs tore into the man's throat, causing blood to spray across Kyuubi's muzzle and face. She yipped and barked, her equivalent of a malevolent chuckle. This was _fun_. She hadn't had the chance to engage in sanctioned slaughter in quite some time.

Sasuke watched all of this from his perch in the trees, mentally restraining the urge to leap from the tree and start taking swipes at the men as well. Kakashi was staring intently at a larger tent in the middle of the clearing where he assumed the leader was holed up. After a few moments, Sasuke noticed Kakashi tense and take out a Kunai.

"It's time. Follow me. Kill anyone in your path."

Sasuke nodded. They both dropped from the trees they were in and landed on the ground with ninja grace. The surrounding mercenaries looked stunned for a moment before they came to their senses. It was all they needed. With a quick movement, Sasuke slipped his knucklers on and got into a ready taijutsu stance as the first mercenary charged him, sword in a high guard. Sasuke smirked.

With another quick movement, Sasuke caught the man's sword in between two of his knuckle blades. His free hand lunged out at the man's head, connecting with a sick crunch that made Sasuke wince. The man crumpled to the ground, obviously dead. Sasuke repressed his urge to shudder. It had been his first kill. He was used to death…the Uchiha massacre had made him all but _immune_ to it…but taking another's life was something that was still new to him. He decided that he could dwell on it later.

He shook the dead man's sword free of his knuckler, just in time to block another sword coming at him from behind him. He dropped to a crouch and kicked his leg out in a leg sweep, bringing the other man to the ground. With a downward punch, he put his knucklers knives through the man's collarbone, hearing a crunch of bone and a scream come from the mercenary. He removed his knuckle-knives from the man's collarbone and watched as a spurt of blood gushed out of his chest. He grimaced. The man would bleed out in a few minutes.

Turning around, he saw a rather large man, probably over six feet and four hundred pounds, barreling down on him. He wielded a massive spiked club over his head, and he had piercings and tattoos all over his body. Sasuke paled. It wasn't a pretty sight.

The large mercenary swung his club down at Sasuke, causing him to dodge out of the way. The club struck the earth where he had just moments before been, leaving a small crater for its efforts. The man brought the club back up once again and swung horizontally at him, making him duck and then jump as the club was brought back along the same path, only lower. Sasuke put on a burst of speed, hoping to take the advantage and get inside the brute's guard; however the man displayed surprising speed and brought his club into a guarded position, causing Sasuke's knucklers to hit the club, rather than the man's head.

Sasuke snarled. This mercenary was better than usual. With a quick motion, he crouched and swung his leg out, sending it in a sweeping motion, hoping that he could break the man's guard and get an opening. His foot hit the ogre-man's own foot…and simply stopped. It hadn't even fazed him. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly before he jumped up quickly and back flipped away, narrowly dodging the club once more.

This was no ordinary mercenary. He was too strong, too fast to be a simple untrained thug. Grimacing to himself, he decided that if he couldn't beat the man in outright taijutsu, then he would use what the man probably couldn't; Ninjutsu.

He rapidly formed seals, making sure not to catch his knucklers on any flesh or get them hung up in each other. Inhaling deeply, he called out, "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

At once, multiple fireballs began flying out of his mouth at high speed. The man, seeing the jutsu, dodged the first few balls of fire; however, the fire seemed to be faster than he was. Two of the smaller balls of fire impacted heavily on his club, the first causing the club to splinter and smolder, while the second one outright caused the club to shatter from the small explosion. Stunned by the destruction of his weapon, he never saw the two other balls of fire hidden behind the others, and they both impacted explosively onto his chest, causing the brutish man to scream like a little girl as he desperately tried to remove his now blazing shirt.

Sasuke saw this as his chance. Taking out two kunai that were attached to ninja wire, he threw them directly at the man, giving them a spin so that they curved once they were beyond the man's shoulder. They immediately circled the man's torso, and the momentum and weight of the kunai caused the wires to go taut around his torso, cutting into his skin.

The man looked at Sasuke fearfully as Sasuke went through a series of hand seals, ending in tiger. Inhaling deeply once more, and holding the edge of the ninja wire taut in his free hand, he called out, "Katon: Ryuuka no jutsu!"

A white hot fire came from his mouth and caught on the ninja wire, traveling along the razors edge as a dragon coiling around its victim. The fire reached the man almost immediately, and with a renewed and terrifyingly painful scream, he was engulfed in white-hot fire that burned with the ferocity of Sasuke's rage.

After a few moments of the man being obscured by the raging inferno, the fire died out, leaving all present with a grisly sight. The man was completely charred from head to toe, and his skin was nothing more than blackened dust that was flaking off of his roasted body. The man fell over, his head and extremities turning to dust upon impact, and his body throwing up ash as the rest of his burnt and smelling exterior flaked away.

Sasuke suppressed the urge to vomit. If he had been unnerved by his first kill, this one positively _scared_ him. The raw ferocity of the jutsu, the screaming of the dying and burning man, and the burning corpse in front of him…he swallowed the bile that threatened to escape his mouth, and forced it all into the back of his mind. He still had a job to do.

Turning around, he found that the mercenaries around him were all dead. Quirking an eyebrow, he saw his sensei standing a few yards behind him, giving what amounted to a reassuring smile. He sighed. Kakashi had left this big guy to him intentionally.

"What is all of this?! What do I pay you slobs for! You good for nothing little _women_!"

Sasuke and Kakashi both turned to where the outburst had come from, and saw a fat man dressed in crimson felt emerge from what was obviously the command tent. He currently had a roasted turkey leg in his right hand, and he looked greasy and un-bathed. Sasuke scowled disgustedly. _This_ was the leader?

Kakashi calmly walked up to the man who was flanked by two weathered looking guardsmen, who immediately drew their swords. Kakashi seemed to tense…before he disappeared.

The two men flanking the fat man dropped, blood spraying from slit throats. The fat man's eyes widened and shook in fear, his turkey leg dropped and forgotten. Sasuke could have sworn he smelled something that reminded him of urine, and sure enough, a wet spot appeared on the man's crotch, indicating that he had pissed himself in fear.

Kakashi was now standing directly in front of the fat coward, leveling him with a ferocious glare. Before the 'leader' could even squeak, Kakashi had chopped him on the back of the neck, knocking him out. With a hand seal, Kakashi created a Kage Bunshin, and had it heft the 'leader' on its shoulder. The Kage Bunshin bounded off into the forest, taking with him the fat man that would be unconscious for quite some time.

Sasuke saw Kakashi turn back to him. "Go reinforce Anko and Sakura. If you see any captives on the way, remember their location and relay it to Anko. Go!"

Sasuke nodded and jumped away, leaving Kakashi, who was now surrounded by a few dozen angry mercenaries.

"You! That was our meal ticket you bastard! Now we'll just have to take it out on your _hide_!

None of them noticed Kakashi's eye gain a deadly quality as he pulled out a Kunai, nor did they notice his entire demeanor change. Now that Sasuke wasn't here to witness this, he could go all out.

The first mercenary charged, and Kakashi _smiled_. The ANBU captain in him could come out and play…if only for a little while.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This…this was insane!

These ninja…they'd just barged right into their camp…and they were chopping everyone down! Especially that blonde one…he had killed so many…so much blood…

The frightened mercenary decided to run. It would do no good to stick around here. He could find some other rich dude to work for, regardless of what the work was. As long as he was _alive_, he could make more money.

He stepped into the brush and fell on his butt, leaning up against a tree and panting for dear life. He was safe. He had left the circle of death behind him. Now all he had to do was –

His throat exploded outwards from arterial pressure as a Kunai slashed cleanly across his neck.

Anko wiped off her Kunai and flashed a pale Sakura an insane grin. "That's how you perform a silent kill. Sneak up on the bastard and before he even knows it, he's dead…so much fun!"

Sakura paled further, if at all possible. That had been…by her count…the twelfth person that Anko had killed without any sort of hesitation. It seemed as though she was just along for the ride, witnessing death after death carried out in radically different fashions. Anko was putting on a _demonstration_ for her. She had seen a man decapitated…one had been impaled through the chest by a kunai…another had had his stomach cleanly cut open by a shuriken…

She had to fight to keep the contents of her stomach from retching all over the underbrush. It wasn't as if she had some illusion that ninjas could just knock out their opponents, or that they never had to kill…but this…this wasn't killing. This was _slaughter_. This was a bunch of untrained mercenaries who could barely beat a Genin in the first place, taking on higher level ninjas who could conceivably wipe out those same mercenaries by the hundreds. This was wholesale **_slaughter_** carried out on a large scale.

It was only by virtue of the fact that Sakura had personally rescued and evacuated three very grateful women so far that she could hold any semblance of rationalization to the situation. They were doing this to save innocent people. They were doing this so that wave country didn't have to suffer. They were doing this so that Kurenai and her team would be safe, and that Hinata would be safe…right? All of this was for a purpose, right?

She didn't have time to think further, as a Shuriken raced past her left ear. Yelping in surprise, she brought her kunai up to a guarded position and twirled around, finding that the Shuriken that had flown past her had been aimed for a mercenary that had been trying to sneak up on her. Said mercenary was now missing one eye, and was thrashing around on the ground in obvious pain, if his screaming was any indication.

Anko sashayed past her and unceremoniously put a kunai through the man's throat, ending the screaming. This was the last straw for Sakura. Turning around, she wretched the contents of her stomach into the underbrush. Killing…death…blood…if she was going to be a ninja, she needed to get used to it…she knew this much. But the reality of it…the actual act of killing, the actual witnessing of death…it was miles away from what she thought.

Unseen to Sakura, Anko scowled. This Sakura girl was pathetic. Granted, the girl was a Genin, and she couldn't be any older than twelve or thirteen…but if she wanted to be a ninja…if she wanted to be a _Kunoichi_…she needed to get used to this. She needed to realize that this was the reality of their profession. Weak and girlie Kunoichi didn't survive. Or worse…they _did_ survive, only to suffer fates that most people didn't like to think about. Women were special targets on the battlefield for lecherous and morally-vacant individuals who saw them as nothing more than holes to be filled. Because of that, Kunoichi needed to be more skilled than even Shinobi…because death was far from the worst thing that could happen to you on the battlefield.

"Oi, Sakura…the next kill is yours. I'm going to follow you this time. Understood?"

Anko noticed that Sakura looked at her with a strange expression on her face. Somewhat between determination and absolute abject terror. She allowed herself to smirk, if only just slightly. At least the girl realized that this was something she needed.

Sakura nodded, if only briefly, before staggering back towards the battle. She crouched by a tree and wiped off her mouth from the acid and other substances that still clung to it, before she focused her eyes on a smaller battle that was occurring closer to them. It was obviously a Naruto clone taking out mercenaries left and right. After a few moments, one man got a lucky hit in on the clone, causing it to disperse. While the small victory should have bolstered the men, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Once they saw that what they had been fighting was no more than a clone, they seemed to realize the futility of the situation. Three men began running in their general direction, intending to rout. Sakura steeled herself as much as she could.

The first man made it only as far as the first tree surrounding the camp, before Sakura somehow found the resolve within her to do what was necessary. She drew back her forearm and threw the kunai she was holding with as much force as she could muster, confident in her own aiming skills. She wasn't disappointed. The kunai buried itself deep in the man's chest, causing him to choke and sputter, before dropping to his knees and finally his stomach, dead. This caused the other mercenaries behind him to stop for a moment and look around, undoubtedly to find just where the kunai had been thrown from.

Sakura readied herself to do 'what was necessary' again, but she needn't have worried. A slightly bloody and scuffed up Sasuke dropped from the trees above her, landing steadily in front of the remaining two mercenaries. Before Sakura could even comprehend what was happening, Sasuke had drawn his wicked looking fist weapons across the first man's throat and thoroughly crushed the second man's forehead concave. They both fell to the ground, dead almost instantly.

Sakura blanched, but managed to keep her composure. "Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke looked behind him to see a pale and only slightly trembling Sakura. He repressed a scowl…he had seen her kill one man. At the very least, she had exerted effort, and she was probably dealing with this a bit harder than he or Naruto was, considering that she hadn't had nearly the childhood that they had.

He responded with his trademarked 'Hn', before turning back to the battle. He noticed that there were a few more mercenaries trying to run away the other direction, and bounded off towards them, intent on stopping them. Sakura just let out a sigh. Sasuke had barely even acknowledged her. She supposed that she really shouldn't even be surprised anymore.

Anko appeared before Sakura, thoroughly scaring the girl. She had a shit-eating grin on her face, and she was twirling a kunai absently in one hand.

"Good job! You can dwell on it…or whatever…later. There are some captives over" she pointed to Sakura's forward-right "in that direction that need our help. You rescue and evacuate, and I'll cover you."

Sakura just nodded and made to leave. She was sure that when the adrenaline wore off, the full reality of what she had done would settle into her…and she would deal with it when she got to that point. For now…people needed her help. This was no time to be selfish.

As Sakura and Anko both bounded off towards a few women who were desperately trying to run away, and Sasuke made short work of a few cowardly mercenaries that decided to run, Naruto and Kyuubi found themselves in an interesting situation.

Kyuubi was currently 'back to back' with Naruto in a circle of about thirty different mercenaries. Normally, this wouldn't be any sort of a problem…save for the fact that currently, Naruto had no idea as to where Iruka was. It wasn't that he was concerned that Iruka could take care of himself…it had more to do with the fact that he was simply _concerned_ in general. Iruka was like his brother, and not knowing where he was in the middle of a battle unnerved him.

Naruto scowled and formed a hand seal, creating five different Kage Bunshin around them. He then formed a ram seal as each of the clones put a hand on him. He focused, and within a few moments, each of the clones had roughly five times the amount of chakra necessary to sustain them inside of their faux coils. He opened his eyes, and gave the mental command to 'go forth'. They did so.

The clones charged at all sides of the impromptu circle that had them 'trapped'. The mercenaries, momentarily stunned, didn't react for a moment.

It was that moment that cost them all their lives.

In a brilliant flash and a deafening sound, the clones exploded in mid air, each above a different clump of mercenaries. The explosions were of a very large magnitude…roughly equivalent to one of his grenades, if he had to compare it.

After the smoke cleared, even Kyuubi was a bit surprised at the results. Of the ring of mercenaries that had surrounded them, perhaps only ten were still alive, and none were uninjured. She smirked. The jutsu took _a lot_ of chakra, but it was worth it.

Kakashi finished gutting the last mercenary, and looked in the direction that the blast had come from, stunned. He knew Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no jutsu, of course…but that explosion…it was of a magnitude far exceeding what that jutsu could output. It was absolutely _huge_ in comparison. If the crater it left was any indication, it was probably equivalent to thirty or forty explosive notes. He shook his head in stunned silence. Naruto was becoming _powerful_. He briefly wondered just what Kyuubi had been teaching him.

Naruto smirked when he saw that Iruka was standing just outside of the pile of charred and dead bodies that had marked the circle of mercenaries that had surrounded him. He hadn't needed to worry about it after all.

"Na…Naru..to…what…was that?!"

Naruto's smirk widened. "A modified version of Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. I'll tell you about it later."

Iruka just shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh as he turned and gutted yet another mercenary. "You're becoming some sort of explosives expert, aren't you?"

Naruto chuckled. "Not a bad idea, Sensei!"

Iruka chuckled as well. "Why did I even mention it?!"

Naruto turned and drew his sword, cutting down another mercenary at the knees, before bringing up his knee and planting a powerful knee-kick to the man's lower jaw, snapping the man's neck in the process. He surveyed the battlefield. There were very few mercenaries left. Probably only ten or twenty at most. He noticed that there were a _very_ large amount of dead or dying men laying on the battlefield, and his feet squished every so often in the blood-soaked ground that he had been trudging through.

He decided that it was time to end it. Forming another hand seal, he shouted, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Fifty different clones appeared at his side and bounded off towards the only surviving mercenaries. After a few moments, Naruto heard a few telltale screams of men dying. He channeled a bit of chakra into his sword, watching as the gore on the blade hissed off. He sheathed it unceremoniously before dusting off his clothing and walking towards where he felt Kakashi was.

It was over. Kyuubi gave him a nudge on his hand. He looked down to find her staring at him with something he interpreted as concern. He just smiled sadly behind his mask and petted her on the head.

"Yeah. I'll be ok."

She licked his hand and nudged his leg with her head. She would be there for him nonetheless.

Just in case he wasn't.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Looking back on it, he was glad that he had killed so many of them.

There had been twelve different captives in the camp, each of them women. Each of the women had been thoroughly 'used' in every which way, and each of them looked as though they had been beaten, starved and thrown around like trash for the better part of a week.

Naruto couldn't repress a scowl and a bit of killing intent that leaked out. If he had known the extent to which these women had suffered at the hands of those mercenaries…he would have made sure that the men's deaths were much more painful.

He stood next to a nonchalant looking Sasuke, his arms crossed over his chest and mask currently hanging off his belt. Sakura and Anko had been tasked with making sure the women weren't horribly injured, and Kakashi and Iruka were currently piling the bodies of the now dead mercenaries into a bonfire-like pile in the middle of the camp. He could tell that while Sasuke's nonchalant mask was firmly in place, he too was rather angry…he could tell this because Sasuke's killing intent was matching his own, at least, while his was suppressed.

The women were obviously captives from wave…he had overheard a few talking about the wave in reference to their home, and surmised that they were probably captured during various raids that these mercenaries had executed on wave in the past week or so. A few of them looked to be no older than fifteen or sixteen, and a few looked to be as old as fifty or so…probably mothers. Naruto's scowl grew.

Did these men have no scruples? Did they have no sense of right and wrong? Sure they could work for a guy like Gato, but that didn't automatically make them bad…_this_ was the sort of thing that made them bad. This was the sort of thing that made Naruto _despise_ mercenaries, bandits and thieves of all kinds. They preyed on the innocent and weak to their own filthy gain, and…did…_this_ to women. They had no right to live.

He made a promise to himself. Bandits…mercenaries…thieves…they would die. If he came across them…their lives were forfeit. No amount of begging would work. _They would die_.

He was broken from his musings, as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see a concerned Iruka looking down at him with his normal brotherly smile firmly in place. Naruto lost his scowl rather quickly.

"How are you doing, Naruto?" Iruka's concerned gaze grew as he said those words, and Naruto's own face fell slightly. He saw Sasuke look at him for a moment and then walk off towards the nearby stream. Naruto mentally thanked him for the privacy.

"I…I think I'm ok. Seeing what those…_bastards_…did to those women…it makes me feel justified in killing them…but…" Naruto trailed off and looked at the ground for a moment, mentally contemplating his feelings on the matter. The men he killed deserved to die, no doubt about that…but…

Iruka's gaze softened considerably. "They deserved to die, but you didn't like killing them, right?"

Naruto looked up quickly with a startled expression, somehow wondering if Iruka could read minds. He managed to nod, much to Iruka's kind amusement. Iruka sighed and sat down next to Naruto…something that Naruto did only seconds afterwards.

Iruka seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment before he spoke. "Those men deserved to die…no doubt about that. It was also very easy to kill them. We're ninja…they were barely better than civilians. The problem isn't a moral one, or a question of skills…rather, it's a question of the act itself."

Naruto gazed at his older-brother figure in awe, never quite hearing him speak this way. He watched as Iruka continued. "Men have killed men since the beginning of history immemorial. There's always been a question…do we kill because it's a genetic imperative…do we kill because there's a _need_ to do so…or do we kill for some strange mental problem that envelops the entire human condition? In the end…it becomes a rhetorical question."

Iruka sighed and held Naruto's shoulder, looking at him with kind yet hardened and determined eyes. "The fact of the matter is, Naruto…that we kill because, at the time we do it…it is necessary. A sane human does not kill for pleasure, and a sane human does not mourn a justified death. There are some people on the face of the earth that simply deserve death…and there are people that _must_ die for the greater good. We killed almost two hundred and eighty mercenaries today…and by that act, there's a good chance that we have saved countless people down the road from being the victims of those mercenaries."

Iruka looked skyward, never taking his hand off of Naruto's shoulder. "There are two types of people in this world, Naruto. Good, and bad. You will find people who will tell you that there is no distinction…that it's all just shades of grey…and you will hear people talk about justice and moral victories…I won't tell you not to listen to them…but…"

He looked back at Naruto again, with a much harder gaze than before. "The bottom line is that at the moment of choice, you must make the judgment. Does this person deserve to die? Does this person meet _my_ own requirements for being a victim of my blade? _Your_ justice, Naruto…and not someone else's…is what counts. If you believe that someone deserves to die, and you kill them, take heart in the fact that you believed it to be right. If you do not believe that someone deserves to die, and you let them live, take heart in the fact that you believed it to be right. One way or the other…the choice is always yours. As is the consequence. You must understand that."

Naruto just stared at Iruka in awe. Never had he heard his mentor…brother…_family member_ talk in that fashion. It was deep, encompassing…and it rang true.

His justice. _His_ decision. It was always his decision. Death or life…rested in his hands. If he believed it to be right, then it was right…and the consequences of that belief were his and his alone.

It was essentially the crux of being an adult. You make your decisions, and you reap the consequences, good or bad.

Iruka, in his own way, was acknowledging Naruto as an adult.

Naruto couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Before he even comprehended his actions, he had wrapped his arms tightly around his brother figure and was hugging him for all he was worth. It was times like this that he realized just how precious Iruka was to him. He had been one of the first to acknowledge him…and one of the first to see him as something more than the Kyuubi. And now, he was the first to recognize him fully as an _adult_.

He pulled out of the hug and looked his brother figure in the eyes. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka smiled back. "Ah."

"Naruto!"

They were both broken from their touching moment by Sakura yelling over to him, motioning for him to come to her position. Scowling slightly, he gave Iruka another smile, before he sat up and lightly jogged over to where she was looking over one of the younger women who had been…he scowled harder. He refused to even think the word.

Sakura gave him a timid smile while shaking a little from both adrenaline let down and rage at the condition of these women. "This woman has a cut on her arm…pretty deep. Could you get me Kakashi's advanced medical kit? We ran out of gauze."

Naruto threw her a genuine smile, hoping to reassure her…she was obviously rattled…they all were. "How about I just heal it?"

Sakura threw him a half-curious half-annoyed look. "…what? That's what _I'm_ trying to do, isn't it?"

He threw her a half-cocky smirk. "Yeah, but I can do it _better_."

Without further ado, he knelt before the woman, noting that she was probably the age of Ayame back home. He repressed his scowl. This woman needed comfort, not a scowl.

"Hey, I'm going to heal your arm now…it might sting a bit at first, but bear with it, ok?"

He noticed the woman look up at him with a confused and slightly afraid expression, before she nodded slightly. He fought as hard as he could to keep his scowl from showing, or his killing intent from leaking out. If he needed _any_ reassurance that those men needed to die, he had just gotten it. If he needed any reassurance that his commitment to killing all of their kind was good and just…he had it right in front of him.

Pushing back his feelings, he focused his chakra to his hands and his seal activated. The green soothing chakra flowed out of his hands and into the woman's cut. Naruto could immediately feel the structure of the woman's arm. She had several hairline fractures in her ulna, and a large laceration that had just missed her artery. He couldn't help a grimace. Any closer to the artery, and this woman would have bled out.

He focused his mind into healing the cut and the bone, and watched as the cut began to heal in front of his eyes. He mentally forced his chakra to mend parts of her epidermis shut, and he had to force more chakra than usual into her ulna to mend the hairline fractures. He mended the nerves and dermis together further up the arm, and he kept a part of his mind focused on extracting and eliminating any traces of infection that had already set in.

Sakura looked on, dumbfounded. She had seen medical techniques before…she had been the target of medical Ninjutsu before at the hospital…but…how did Naruto know how to use medical chakra? Moreover, how was he so good at mending wounds? She furrowed her brow in consternation. There was so much that she didn't know about Naruto…but…did she really want to know? Moreover...would Naruto even tell her?

After a few minutes, the cut on the woman's arm was healed as though it wasn't even there in the first place. The woman looked immensely grateful, and Naruto just threw her a 'foxy grin', eliciting the smallest of smiles in return. He nodded to Sakura and made to leave.

"Wait, Naruto!"

Sakura had forcefully called out to him, sounding both anxious and confused at the same time. Naruto turned around and gave her an impassive look, betraying none of his emotions.

Sakura walked up to him and clasped her hands in front of her, looking confused and apprehensive. "Naruto…how do you know –"

"Oi, brat, if I had known you could use medical techniques, I'd have used you instead of her. Get over here."

Both pre-teens looked over to find Anko staring at him with her hands on her hips. Naruto quirked his mouth into a small smirk. He had dodged a kunai with Anko's distraction.

Throwing a faux apologetic glance in Sakura's direction, he walked over to where Anko was taping up a woman's stomach that had a small amount of blood already soaking through it. He winced. That was a lot of blood to be a simple wound you could heal with gauze and tape.

Anko seemed to be of the same opinion. "This wound of hers is deep…I already applied some styptic and antiseptic to it…but it keeps bleeding. I'm not real good with medical stuff…" She trailed off and hoped that somehow, Naruto would know what was going on. After all, if he was a medical ninja, he had to know about anatomy.

Naruto nodded in Anko's direction and kneeled in front of the woman, noting her pallor. She had obviously lost a lot of blood.

"This may sting…bear with it, please." He said it with a smile, and to his relief, the woman seemed to smile right back. She couldn't have been more than fifteen. It took everything Naruto had not to fully release his Ki.

He once again focused his healing chakra and applied it to the girl's stomach. He winced. The girl had been all but eviscerated. Any deeper, and she would have lost some of her intestinal tract…and it would have probably cut her descending aorta as well. As it was, she was bleeding profusely, and infection was setting in at a very fast pace.

He stood up and motioned Anko over. "Anko-san…I need you to prepare for a blood transfusion. In my backpack, you'll find the equipment for such a procedure, and you'll also find a respirator…I'll need both, please."

Anko seemed startled for a moment, before she schooled herself and nodded, running off in the general direction of Iruka, who was keeping watch over their supplies.

Naruto looked down to find the teen staring at him with wide and scared eyes. "Am…Am I going to be alright?"

Naruto produced a warm smile, hoping to calm the woman. "You're going to be fine. You've lost quite a bit of blood, and your stomach wound is…serious…but I have no doubt in my mind that I can fix them. After a week or so of bed rest and good nutrition, you should be just as healthy as you were before this whole thing began."

The girl's eyes seemed to calm considerably at Naruto's soothing proclamation of her health, and she nodded, the faintest of smiles coming back to her face. Naruto smiled as well. This girl would live because he would not _let_ her die. He had no doubt in his mind that this girl would have died had he not healed her.

After about thirty seconds, Anko came back, carrying his pack unceremoniously over one shoulder. She plopped it down at his feet and stood, staying to watch him work.

Naruto dug into the pack and produced the respirator. He motioned Anko over, watching the sashay of her hips as she walked over to him.

"After I put this on her mouth, I need you to pump this" he motioned to the air filled bulb beneath the mouth piece "at a steady rhythm of once every three seconds after I put her under. She'll be under the effect of a selective paralytic due to my chakra, so she won't be able to breathe on her own. Don't stop until I tell you to do so, understood?"

Anko nodded towards him again, and Naruto nodded in return, producing a bag and two tubes, along with a bulb attached between the two tubes. He then produced two hypodermic needles, causing the girl to blanch, and Anko to grin slightly…he shuddered. That woman was far too infatuated with sharp things.

He put a hand above the girl's abdomen and produced medical chakra once more for just a moment, before he nodded to himself. Standing up, he cupped his hands over his mouth and drew in a deep breath of air.

"IS ANYONE HERE A TYPE-A BLOOD TYPE?"

He waited a moment for a few people to register what he had said…and then noticed that no one raised their hands. Sweat-dropping slightly, he got ready to yell again for people to line up for inspections, when he felt Sakura come up to his right. She looked pale and just a bit apprehensive, but she also looked determined. Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"Ano…Naruto…I'm a type O. If I remember correctly…"

"Universal Donor…"

Naruto was all but sighing with relief as he finished her sentence for her. If Sakura was a type O blood type…then she could donate to _anyone_, regardless of blood type. Type O blood was considered 'universal', meaning that _anyone_ could receive it and not have it rejected by the body. Universal donors weren't exactly rare...they actually made up the majority of the population...but to have such a ready supply was _very_ handy.

Naruto smiled genuinely at Sakura for the first time in perhaps a month. "Thank you, Sakura. You may have just saved this woman's life."

Sakura smiled back at him, and some color returned to her face. She just nodded, not exactly knowing what to say.

Naruto motioned for her to lie on the ground, something that she did immediately. She didn't want to waste Naruto's good mood. Naruto gently laid the other girl on her back as well, making sure that both girls' arms were turned upwards for easy access to the veins. He positioned the bag in the middle and once again turned his face to Anko.

"Anko-san, could you go get Sasuke? I need him for something."

Anko nodded and ran away again, returning a few seconds afterwards with Sasuke trailing at her heels. Sasuke, seeing the situation, immediately became serious.

Naruto nodded to Sasuke. "I need you to operate the blood transfusion. You've seen me practice it before, right?"

Sasuke seemed startled for a moment, before he nodded. He had indeed seen Naruto practice it before, but he had never actually performed it before. It had looked rather easy to accomplish however.

Naruto handed the transfusion apparatus to Sasuke as he stepped out of the way. He shifted himself so that he was at the head of the girl, and gave her another reassuring smile.

"I'm going to put you under now. You may feel a slight pricking sensation in the back of your head…but after that, you won't feel anything for a while. Bear with me again, ok?" Seeing the girl nod at him again, he smiled and slipped the respirator over her mouth, motioning Anko over to take over the respirations. Reaching to the back of the girl's head, he produced a small chakra 'spark' that went into her hypothalamus, tricking it into believing that it was time to sleep. Her natural circadian clock was activated, and she drifted off to a very deep, dreamless sleep.

He then produced another chakra spark that trickled into her brain stem. Immediately, she stopped breathing. All function below her neck ceased, save for her heart. He had made sure that that particular nerve was still functional.

Anko immediately began respirations. He nodded to Anko and stepped around her to get in front of the girl's stomach. He shot a glance towards Sasuke. It was the first time he had really looked up, and he nearly sweat-dropped.

His impromptu surgery had become a small spectacle. Iruka was at the front, along with a slightly bloodied Kakashi, and most of the other injured women were looking on with tremendous curiosity.

"This isn't a show, everyone. Unless you're directly involved in this, I'd like to ask you to back away and give us some space."

He noticed that the injured women looked put out, but did as he said. Iruka and Kakashi, however, stayed put. He sighed. He supposed that there was no getting rid of them.

He turned back to Sasuke. "I'm going to perform the procedure now. As soon as I'm done, I want you to puncture their forearms at the joint, and find the vein, and begin the transfusion. She's going to lose a bit _more_ blood because of this, and she's going to need what Sakura can give her."

Seeing Sasuke nod, he focused his attention once again on the girl's stomach wound. Focusing chakra to his hands once more, he began the procedure.

His first act was to be to remove the infected and septic blood that was gathering in her wound. Forming a small medical chakra field around his hands as if he was removing poison, he began to gather the blood into globules. After that was accomplished, he brought the blood out via the field itself.

It looked horrible. The blood, once out of the wound, could be seen to be horribly marred. It was a sickly maroon color that didn't belong to blood, and parts of it were even beginning to brown. He repressed the urge to shudder.

Tossing the blood away into the underbrush, he proceeded to begin the process of mending the girl's insides. He first mended parts of the musculature that were torn asunder, tying the muscle back into its familiar smooth surface. He then began to work on the various blood vessels above the muscle, mending them and stopping and starting the flow of blood as necessary. Once that was done, he then focused on the dermis and the epidermis, making sure to methodically remove any traces of infection as he went along.

The process itself took about fifteen minutes, during which, hardly a sound was made, save for the methodic breathing produced by the respirator, and the breathing of all other occupants in such close proximity.

As he mended the last of the epidermis, he sighed. He was done. He looked up to find everyone looking at him with gazes a mix between awe and confusion. He smiled awkwardly.

"I'm done. She's almost completely mended; save for any flesh that was rent out of the wound itself. Sasuke, start the transfusion."

Sasuke nodded while Naruto rested on his haunches, somewhat exhausted. He wasn't _physically_ exhausted…more like he was mentally exhausted. It took a lot of concentration to mend such a wound as that, and it was the first time he had ever done so. Hell, he hadn't even been sure if he _could_.

He watched as Sasuke pricked both girls' forearm joints, managing to find veins on the first try. He smirked. He had _never_ managed that.

The blood began to flow, with the help of Sasuke's pumping and certain valves, into the other girl. Sakura seemed to pale slightly and shake, but Naruto dismissed it as a vasovagal reaction. He made a mental note to congratulate Sakura afterwards, and ask Kakashi for a blood pill. He would have used the blood pill on the civilian…but to those whose bodies weren't used to strain, the blood pill could hurt more than help. This was definitely the preferable way.

Naruto watched as bit by bit, the girl's face flushed. He smiled. The girl was regaining color and even warmth. Sakura was still a bit pale, but she seemed to be a bit more relaxed. He made to congratulate Sakura on calming herself down, when he noticed something odd.

Sasuke's right hand wasn't on the valve. Not that it needed to be…but…

His right hand was on Sakura's upper arm.

He couldn't help but smile and even chuckle a bit.

Sasuke, the cold, uncaring and aloof avenger, save for when he was in the presence of Naruto…was comforting someone. Moreover, he was comforting someone who he otherwise didn't much care about. The simple act of putting his hand on Sakura's forearm had almost completely calmed the girl, and if he didn't know better, he would say that tears were prickling at her eyes. He smiled wider. It had probably been hard for Sasuke to do…but…maybe the boy had more of a heart than he gave himself credit for.

After about five minutes, it was over. The girl had more than enough blood, and she was obviously feeling much better, as was evidenced by the fact that she was now breathing on her own again. He watched as Anko reapplied some of the bandages to the girl's midsection, and Kakashi helped wrap up Sakura's hole in her arm. It felt good to help people, he concluded.

Iruka strode over to him, and upon seeing that Naruto was both mentally and slightly physically exhausted, gave him a hand up and a shoulder to lean on. Naruto, for his part, threw a grateful glance at Iruka and walked over to pick up his field pack once more, heaving it over his shoulder. He noticed that someone had already slightly cleaned and put away his medical equipment, and sighed. He was thankful, but he would have to clean them much more thoroughly when he had time.

"You did well, Naruto. You did _very_ well."

Naruto looked up to see his brother figure smiling down at him warmly again. He just smiled and leaned on Iruka's side, enjoying being held up, considering that he was still rather tired. The battle, the adrenaline let down, the mental concentration and the procedure had all taken its toll, and he was feeling just a bit drowsy.

Seconds later, he was asleep in Iruka's brotherly embrace.

Iruka just hefted Naruto up and carried him over to a nearby tree, where he set him down and covered him with a blanket from his own field pack. Kakashi would undoubtedly let them rest for a few hours before they picked the pace back up.

He stared down at Naruto, who looked much less the killing machine and much more the child while asleep. He smiled warmly, but with a hint of sadness.

"There's no rest for the weary during a war…but for now…rest well, Naruto. I'll watch over you."

Unseen to Iruka, Naruto shifted imperceptibly in his sleep, a small smile forming on his face.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Black eyes watched.

They were resting. Now would be the time to strike. He made to leap from the tree he was in, when a strong hand clamped down his shoulder.

He looked back in exasperation, silently wondering why his commander had stopped him.

"We have orders. Not now. You'll know when."

He scowled. They had waited long enough. It was time to kill the brat! "He's wide open down there! They're all tired and exhausted! It would be _easy_!"

"No."

He looked back again to find an older man standing behind his commander. He scowled. This was the man that had masterminded this whole expedition in the first place…why was _he_ stopping them!

"We will strike when I say so, no earlier, and no later. It is not opportune at the moment. If we are found out now, it will compromise our entire mission. Remember, our mission is the brat, not his companions. We're not here to start a war." The old man looked at him as if boring through his soul and the grunt who had been so gung ho before to attack cowered back, nodding fervently.

The old man smiled. "Don't worry. The brat will die. Follow my orders, and I guarantee you that, and so much more."

After a moment of silence, the old man quirked his head. All three vanished from view as they made their way back to camp.

The man smiled wickedly. He wanted to be the one to kill the brat. He rubbed his forehead protector absently, feeling the grooves that denoted his villages name affectionately. He sighed resignedly, but not without maintaining his smile. Even if he wasn't the one to deliver the death blow, it would be alright.

One way or another, Iwa would have its vengeance.

Namikaze Naruto would fall to the weight of one hundred and fifty of his comrades.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

It was a state between consciousness and unconsciousness. She was drifting in and out…and she could vaguely feel that she was…somewhere cold.

A drop of water hit her forehead…followed by another. She made to wipe off the moisture that remained, but realized that she couldn't move her hands.

She made to sit up, but noticed that her legs wouldn't move.

She made to call out, but noticed that her mouth wasn't moving.

In her semi-conscious state, she began to panic. She couldn't move…she wasn't moving! She couldn't do anything!

The adrenaline that pumped into her body at her panic pushed her fully to consciousness. She opened her eyes to find blackness. She could smell…she could taste…she could hear…but…she couldn't see.

It was a hazy blackness in front of her…almost like…a blindfold. Yes, that's what it was. She was blindfolded.

She absentmindedly tried to bring her hands up to make the hand seals to activate the Byakugan…and noticed once again that her hands weren't moving. She felt a pressure on her wrists, and her fingers…and she recognized the feeling of rope grinding against her skin almost immediately. Her hands and fingers were tied deftly, so as to prevent any hand seals.

She then noticed that her feet were in a similar condition, as were her knees. She could feel something around her neck as well…and there was something in her mouth.

Before she could ponder her situation, she heard a creek of a door. She heard a semi-startled gasp and a few gruff voices talking whisperedly. She tried to speak, but it came out as nothing more than muffled drool. She made to try to move, but she was yanked down by her neck, like she was collared and leashed. She tried something…anything…but nothing worked. It was only as she felt the rough floor grind against her hip that she realized that she was almost naked.

"Oh, you're awake are you? We can't have that. Good night, _Hime_."

Hinata panicked for a moment, before she felt a prick on her arm, and heard a bit of gruff laughter. Tears prickled her eyes and began to fall.

And moments later, she felt nothing more, tears still streaming down her face. Her last conscious thought…her last recourse…her last hope…

_Naruto…_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto woke up with a start, noticing that it was now beginning to show signs of dusk.

_Naruto…_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Poor Hinata :(. I can't help but feel that I'm being mean to the girl…but there's a purpose for it, I assure you.

To be honest, I don't like how this chapter turned out. If I messed it up, please let me know. If I did a great job…well…I _didn't_, but…

Next chapter might be later than usual, again. I'm putting together a new computer, and while that doesn't usually take me long…I want to burn it in. Besides, it'll be a new toy for me to play with, and that'll take some time to get out of my system!

As always, reviews are my sustenance. Until next time!


	10. Deeper into the Rabbit Hole

Alas, poor update schedule…I knew him, Horatio.

My apologies. Really. My computer got built, and then the power supply all but blew up on me…and by then, I had already scavenged my old computer for parts, so I couldn't use THAT to write on…and my laptop is a bit of a pain to type on…

Anyway, got the computer up and running, and then realized that I had lost my Office 2k3 CD and CD-key somewhere. Took me about a week to find it again. Pain in the ass, lemme tell ya.

But other than that, my only real excuse is that I hit writers block, and I got a bit lazy. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I'll try to make it faster next time.

As always, I do not, will not, and cannot own Naruto or anything related thereof. If I did, you can bet that I wouldn't be writing fan fiction…instead, the manga and anime would turn into a seinen-grade manga and anime respectively. Harems, blood, gore and boobies. Hallelujah.

Oh, also…there was some dude asking what song I listen to when I'm doing a battle scene.

Gustav Holst – Mars, Bringer of War.

Great song to write meaningless slaughter to. Truly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------

_She stared at him through lust filled eyes, her dark brown orbs taking in every bit of his sweaty and glistening flesh. He was some sort of god, with the sunlight glinting off of his tanned skin. His hair shone with a dark fullness that made her want to fist it into her hands, and his muscles moved, unhindered by a shirt. She could feel the beginnings of a stirring beneath her light kimono, and she stepped forward, her hands in front of her, clasped in a demure fashion._

_He stopped and turned to look at her once she arrived near him, and the stirring only grew more pronounced. He grinned, and she couldn't help but do the same._

"_Naruto…I've been meaning to ask you…"_

_The blonde Adonis stood even closer to her. She could feel his breath on her forehead, and she shivered at the sensation it produced._

"_I wanted…so much…to ask you…"_

"_I know."_

_She looked up at his seemingly unending black fathoms that signified his eyes…and gasped. He had enveloped her in his grasp, his firm arms encircling her and drawing her in. She was close enough that she could smell the musk that made him a man, and she could feel his chest heaving up and down against her arms that were fit snugly between them. She was but putty._

"_I've watched you…day in and day out…you're the one I've always dreamed of, Tenten. You are mine, and I am yours…we are but each other."_

_She felt the prickling of tears at her eyes as she stared up at her beloved. Their heads came together slowly…so slowly…that stirring was back again, that tingling sensation that signified her journey into womanhood. Her forehead met his…their lips…ever so slowly…inches…_

"**YOUTH!"**

Tenten reached to her thigh in an instant and produced three Kunai, throwing them expertly in the direction of the sound that had woken her up from her very…_nice_…dream.

Opening her eyes, she could see, blearily, that a green globule of flesh was standing near the wall, and she could also see that he was bow legged and on his tip toes. She blinked a few times to clear the sleep from her eyes, all the while cursing whoever it was who had woken her.

When she finally could see clearly past the veil of sleep, she saw just who it was who had awoken her. Lee was standing against the far wall, bow legged and white as a sheet. She looked down to see that her three kunai had struck _just_ below Lee's most _important_ place, burying themselves into the wall, hilt deep. She cursed mentally. She would need to work on her aim.

"Tenten! You show much youth in wanting to train right after having woken up! Yosh! We shall train with Kunai today!"

She looked just to the left of Lee to see Gai giving his customary 'nice-guy' pose to her, teeth flashing a brilliant white. She groaned. This was _not_ a good time.

Making an effort, she managed to sit up on the couch where she had been sleeping, and rubbed her eyes a few times to clear away any excess gunk that had collected. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head as well, before settling them down and leaning on the back of the couch, giving Gai a very tired yet borderline furious look.

"Didn't you get the note? I'm excused from training for a while…I'm absolutely exhausted! What are you two…" she looked over towards the door to see Neji leaning against the frame aloofly "…three…doing here, anyway?"

Gai's face changed from one of 'exuberance' to 'confused puppy' in less than an instant. "Excused? Note? Huh?"

Tenten shook her head as she massaged the bridge of her nose with her right hand. "Naruto. He told me that he would give you a note excusing me from training for a while. I guess he never got the chance?"

"No, he gave it to me instead…he was in a bit of a hurry."

Tenten looked over to see her father walking in past Neji, holding a piece of paper in his hand and giving Gai an appraising look. Gai, on the other hand, simply took the note from him and read it over once, his brow furrowing ever so slightly in the process. After a few moments of contemplation, his 'exuberant' face returned, full force, this time with tears of 'joy'…at least, as far as Tenten could assume.

"YOSH! Naruto's youthful concern for his friends is touching! Lee! We shall take care of Tenten until she gets better! If we cannot do this, we will run five hundred laps around –"

"Uh uh. I ain't having you two in this house for any longer than necessary. You look like the types who break things." Kouseki crossed his arms and arched his eyebrow in Gai's direction, throwing a conspiratorial wink in Tenten's direction at the same time. Tenten managed a meager smile. Her dad ruled.

Gai seemed to falter for a moment before he grabbed Lee and began a 'hugging spree' with his equally as 'youthful' student, muttering about youth and exuberance and…Tenten tuned them out. They were great ninja's, but good Kami…they grated the nerves.

After a few moments of the obnoxious hugging, Kouseki cleared his throat, somehow magically calming down both Gai and Lee. Neji and Tenten both gaped. Who knew that simply clearing their throat would shut them up?

"Higurashi-san! You have a cold? Yosh! Gai-sensei, I will go fetch tea and herbs to calm Higurashi-san's cough!"

Neji, Tenten, and even Kouseki sweat-dropped at this. Before another hug fest could start, however, Kouseki broke the small pause.

"Tenten…Naruto asked me to 'give you his regards'. He's heading out on a mission for a while, and he won't be back for…" Kouseki seemed to pause, and if Tenten didn't know better, he looked almost…concerned.

"…well, he won't be back for a while." He inwardly sighed in relief. He had caught himself before he had said 'he might not come back'.

Tenten just scowled. Naruto had gone and left her without even telling her where he went. The only time she got to herself, and he had to be gallivanting around somewhere on a C-class mission or something! She had wanted to spend time with _him_, damn it! He _was_ after all, her only _real_ friend outside of her team.

She restrained a smirk as she thought about what her subconscious might be telling her about 'wanting to spend time with him', by giving her that dream. She wrote it off as hormones. She wasn't at all concerned about fan-girling again. Naruto might be hot, but that was it.

She was about to go on a verbal tirade, when she noticed that Gai looked immensely serious. She couldn't help but become serious as well. Gai was not a serious man…and the times that he actually put away his happy-go-stupid persona, everyone around him knew to be very, _very_ attentive.

"Higurashi-san…Naruto-kun has gone on a C-class mission?"

Kouseki, looking at Gai with equally hard eyes, shook his head. "No. He went on a mission…but not C-class."

If anything, Gai's gaze hardened. His eyes actually narrowed. "Kakashi's team was given a higher-class mission than C?"

Tenten's father simply nodded. Gai stood impassively, and everyone else in the room could feel the tension buildup. The hairs on the back of Tenten's neck were actually standing on end.

"My hip rival Kakashi has secured his team a higher ranked mission! He has bested me once again!"

And just like that, the tension was gone.

Tenten couldn't hold in a relieved chuckle at Gai's antics. If anyone could break the tension, it was her sensei.

And then she realized that Naruto was on a high-class mission.

Standing up quickly, she looked at her dad with a concerned yet determined glare. "Naruto's team was sent on a higher-than-C class mission? Do they have any backup? Where are they? Where did they go? Will they be ok?"

Gai turned her direction and gave her a thumbs up, completely ignoring the fact that Kouseki was not amused. "Yosh! I am sure that Kakashi-san will take care of his students! They must be tremendously skilled to take on a B-ranked mission! Kakashi has undoubtedly been training them harder than normal to prepare them!"

"No, not B either."

Gai's perpetual smile and his attitude dropped with a suddenness that made Tenten gasp, and even Lee look surprised. Tenten couldn't help but gape. Naruto…was on an A-class mission? That was…_unheard_ of. That was _madness_…

Kouseki sighed and sat down in the nearest recliner to him, looking as defeated as she had ever seen her father. Gai turned his hardened gaze on the man, and even Neji looked to be tremendously interested.

"Naruto's mission was apparently upgraded from C-class early this morning. He didn't tell me anything about it…but…"

He looked up and straight at Gai, who was now as still as a statue, yet radiating authority like no one else Tenten had ever seen.

"He is currently undertaking an S-class mission."

The room was silent as death itself while everyone in the room absorbed this information.

Tenten couldn't believe it. Sure, Naruto was a great ninja…she had seen him practice at least once…but…a Genin team…doing an S-class mission? It was _absurd_. Moreover…why had it been upgraded so suddenly without another team being assigned? Why hadn't Gai and _their_ team gone? What was so important as to warrant an S-class mission that needed Genin in the first place?

There were hundreds of questions floating around in Tenten's head, but one came to the forefront. She had to know. Even if it was an empty reassurance…she had to know. He was, after all, one of her only friends.

"Dad…will Naruto-kun…be ok? He'll be ok, right? I mean, his sensei is a legendary ninja…so this should be no problem…right?" She wasn't exactly sure if she wanted the truth, or if she just wanted reassurances…but either way, she was completely sure that it wouldn't allay her fears. Her shaking was proof enough of that.

Kouseki stood up and moved across the room with quickness that he hadn't used since the war. He enveloped his daughter in a fatherly hug and stroked her back as Tenten calmed down. He scowled mentally. He would have to have a talk with the boy when he got back about making his daughter worry like this.

"Hatake Kakashi is one of the best ninja in the world. If anyone can make sure that they're safe, it's him. Besides…he did say that there was another Jounin and a Chuunin going with them. I'm sure they'll be fine." Kouseki wasn't _completely_ sure that he believed his own words, but for the moment, they were what Tenten needed to hear. He couldn't exactly tell her that the boy had one _hell_ of a trump card if things got out of hand.

His words, apparently, were exactly what she needed. He could feel her weight slump into him and he could also feel her breathe a deep sigh. He continued stroking her back and holding her, however…it's what fathers did for their daughters.

"Higurashi-san…if you don't mind, I'd like Tenten to accompany Lee and Neji to dinner somewhere while I go and check up on something. I can assure you that she will not strain herself."

Kouseki looked up to see Gai staring at him with a very serious complexion…and he simply nodded. He helped Tenten to her feet and steadied her, watching with gratitude as Lee came over to help. The Hyuuga continued to stand where he was.

Tenten threw a glance at her father, and upon seeing his smiling face, she smiled as well. If her father believed that they would come out alright, then she did too. She didn't much care if his words were false at this point. The fact that her only real friend was in great danger was enough to make her more emotional than she'd been for quite some time, and reassurances were exactly what she needed to believe right now.

Lee helped Tenten out the threshold while acting his normal exuberant self, while Neji followed at a comfortable distance behind them. Once they were out of earshot, Gai turned to Kouseki, slumping ever so slightly. He could see the premature age lines on Gai's face. The man worked too hard.

"I'm not sure I know what's going on…but I _will_ find out. I'll let you know what I ascertain…if I can." Kouseki nodded and Gai simply bowed curtly before 'poofing' away.

He slumped in his chair and sighed. His little plan about telling Gai that Naruto was on an S-class mission had worked to a 'T'. Sarutobi would have no choice but to send reinforcements now that he would be being pressured about it. Gai was one hell of a persuasive individual when he wanted to be.

Lying back, he closed his eyes. He would definitely have to have a talk with Naruto when he got back.

He stopped himself from even thinking about the possibility of Naruto not returning.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Uzumaki…Naruto? Why on earth do you want to know about him?" Her father gave her a confused yet temperate look that clearly showed his reluctance to talk about the boy._

_She frowned. "I saw him at the Ramen stand where my team went to eat after the mission…he's changed a lot from what I remember of him at the academy. I was just wondering if you knew anything about him that was…different."_

_She could have sworn she saw her father flinch at the word 'different'._

_Inoichi closed his book and sighed, motioning for her to come over to him. Complying, she sat down at a chair directly adjacent to her father and waited patiently…or as patiently as she could…for her father to continue._

_After a few moments of silence, her father took a deep breath and focused his eyes on the floor. "What exactly about him is 'different'?"_

_She bowed her head thoughtfully and tapped her chin for a moment before she looked back at her father. "Well, his clothes are different…he carries a sword now, and he has a pure white mask that looks almost like your old ANBU mask clipped to his belt. He's wearing armor…and…his eyes are different. Yeah, now that I think about it, his eyes have always been blue, but now they're black. His hair is darker and more…furry…and…well, his demeanor changed a bit too, he's not as hyperactive as he used to be, although he's still the picture of 'happy-go-lucky'…but…"_

_She got serious, which caused her already astonished and somewhat concerned father to lean in. "He was talking about nature manipulation of his chakra…and apparently, he has a full _three_ chakra natures to choose from. Earth, wind and fire. Not only that, but my Sensei gave him a scroll to help his wind nature manipulation training, as well as a few jutsu…but apparently he doesn't need them, because he has access to a 'jutsu archive'…he said something about a basement…" She trailed off, trying to think of anything more that was pertinent._

_Inoichi on the other hand was floored. Uzumaki Naruto…by all rights, the dead-last of the previous academy class…had _three_ chakra natures…and he was already learning how to use them? The demon container had access to an entire _archive_ of jutsu? Why were his eyes…black…of all things…_

_Something was up._

"_Honey…" Ino looked up at her father with innocent yet perpetually mischievous eyes…it was a trademark of hers "…Don't tell anyone else about this, ok? I'm sure it's not a secret or anything…but…some people in the village don't much like Naruto, and if this were to become widespread knowledge…well, it would definitely be a bad thing. Ok?"_

_Ino cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow, clearly more confused, and more curious than she had been before. She simply nodded, however. Her father was usually right about these things._

"_Ok…but…why are there people who don't 'like' Naruto? I mean, he used to be annoying and pull pranks and all that stuff, and I'll admit, I didn't like him much myself…but the way you said it sounded more like people 'hated' him rather than 'didn't much like'."_

_Inoichi cursed inwardly. Damn those lessons on how to read people's behavior. _

"_I…really can't tell you. It's not for a lack of wanting to…but…I simply can't." Seeing Ino's disappointed expression, he had an idea._

_He swiveled his chair around so that Ino and him were face to face. He gave his daughter a grin. "If you really want to know more about him, though…you should try to become his friend. He hasn't had the easiest life, and I'm sure he could always use new friends to help him out. If you really gain his trust, I bet you could find out about all of his changes."_

_Ino seemed to ponder this for a moment before she simply smiled and nodded. "Ok! I'll befriend him then. Besides…"_

_She stood and turned before sashaying over to the stairs so she could go take a shower and change clothes. She gave her father a mischievous grin. Inoichi shuddered._

"…_besides…Naruto-kun is _hot_ now!"_

_She bounded up the stairs before Inoichi could say a thing. All she caught was his horrified stare_

"One Miso Ramen, please"

Ino was broken from her thoughts as she noticed that three other people had just come into the ramen stand she was currently occupying. One looked to be a Hyuuga, and she thought conspiratorially, rather hot…one seemed to like Green with something bordering on an obsession…and the other looked to be a normal Kunoichi. They were all Genin…that much was clear.

"Yosh! If my rival is having a Miso ramen, then I shall have TWO Miso ramen!"

"Pork ramen for me, thanks."

Ino frowned slightly. The Kunoichi looked to be pretty down. She smiled slightly. While she was waiting for Naruto, she could try to cheer her up. If she could give Sakura of all people confidence, then she could bring this Kunoichi out of her funk.

Luckily, the girl was seated only one stool away from her. She shot the girl a grin

"You look pretty down! Boy troubles?" She immediately latched onto the idea that perhaps the girl had been rejected by her crush. It had happened to her many a time, and she looked very much as the girl did now…although…

The girl looked up to meet her gaze, and Ino had to restrain a gasp. She'd never looked like that. That wasn't being rejected…that was genuine emotional _pain_.

The girl managed a meek smile. "Something like that."

Ino frowned. The look on her face belied _much_ more than simple boy troubles.

"Wanna talk about it? Kunoichi to Kunoichi…I've learned that boys rarely understand these things." She patted the stool next to her and flashed a smaller yet still happy grin to the girl seated to her right. The girl gave her a slightly wider grin before she nodded and shifted over to the stool next to Ino. The green blob and the Hyuuga were currently having an eating contest…or rather, the green one was. The Hyuuga looked to be ignoring him.

Their ramen was set down in front of them and both girls picked up their chopsticks, muttering an 'Itadakimasu' before 'digging in'. Or rather, Ino dug in. The other girl just stared at the Ramen with a forlorn look on her face. Ino scowled.

"So, what is it? He cheat on you? Break up with you? Pinch some other girl's butt?" She flashed another happy and mischievous grin at the girl, and to her consternation, received nothing but a slight smile in return.

"No, nothing like that. We're just friends, nothing more. Besides, he doesn't seem the type to do stuff like that." Almost as an afterthought, the girl added, "Oh, my name's Higurashi Tenten by the way. What's yours?"

Ino smiled. At least she was getting through. "Yamanaka Ino. So what did he do? If you're just friends, I don't know if it counts as boy trouble. Or…do you like him, and he doesn't know, so you're jealous that someone else is getting him? Hmmmmmm?" She drew out the 'hmmm' sound to seem conspiratorial and more 'girly'. Again, all she received was a small smile in return.

"Again…no. Nothing like that. It's got nothing to do with a relationship or anything…" She paused. It was ok to tell other people, right? Gai hadn't told her not to…neither had her father…and this girl seemed to be pretty friendly. She sighed, the wind from her breath blowing away some of the steam that had accumulated on her ramen.

"He left…on a mission. Not just any mission…he's a Genin…and…he and his team were given an S-Rank mission."

Ino gasped. A Genin team on an S-Rank mission? What the hell? Why on earth would a Genin team be given an S-ranked mission? Hell, they were barely given C-rank missions as it was. Before she could say as much, Tenten chuckled. It was the most emotion Ino had seen from the girl yet.

"That was my reaction too. I still don't know why he and his team were given that mission…I mean, they were sent with an extra Jounin and Chuunin…but still…S-rank missions are performed by ANBU and entire Jounin teams…not by Genin and a few higher-ranked Nin. I just don't want him to get hurt or…worse…you know?"

Ino nodded, bringing her gaze back to the bowl of ramen in front of her. She couldn't even imagine the pain that she would feel if Sasuke-kun or…perhaps even Naruto-kun…was sent on an S-class mission without enough support. Hell, it would be bad if Sakura were sent on an S-class mission too. They might be 'rivals', but they were still friends on the most basic of levels.

"I'm sure that if they were sent on an S-Class mission, that the Hokage deemed them good enough to undertake it. I mean, the Hokage isn't stupid…although, he _is_ old. But he's definitely not stupid. If he sent him and his team on an S-class, then there must have been good reason behind it." She hoped that her reassurances would do just that for Tenten, and she was mollified when the girl slumped relaxedly in her seat.

"Yeah. I know. It helps to hear though. Thanks." Tenten flashed Ino a grin which Ino flashed right back. Both girls turned to their ramen and began eating again.

As an afterthought, Ino wondered if perhaps she knew the boy that Tenten was talking about. It wouldn't hurt to know his name, anyway. She had some time to kill until Naruto got here for his usual nightly Ramen excursion. It had taken her nearly a month to work up the guts to come to this place as it was, and if Naruto didn't show tonight, she would be a bit _peeved_.

She turned to Tenten and flashed another grin. "So, what's the boy's name? Is it some hottie from your class? Maybe you can introduce me to him or something?" She was half joking at the last part. Fan-girling over two boys was enough.

Tenten turned to her as she was slurping some noodles into her mouth. "Yeah, I'll introduce him to you sometime…when he gets back. He usually comes here for dinner anyway." Tenten slurped the noodle completely into her mouth, missing the stunned and foreboding look on Ino's face.

"Usually comes here…for dinner…" she paused, hoping against hope that she was wrong.

"Is his name…?" She couldn't get it out. She wasn't friends with the boy…yet…and if he was just sent on an S-rank mission, she might not get a chance. She hoped against hope that it wasn't him. He was too cute and too mysterious to lose. And if Naruto was on an S-rank, then Sasuke-kun and Sakura were on an S-rank too…she mentally calmed herself and waited for the girl's answer.

Tenten looked at her confusedly. "Oh, you know Naruto-kun?"

She _cringed_.

Naruto was on an S-ranked mission. More than that, it meant that Sasuke-kun _and_ Sakura both were there too. _Genin_…Genin that she _knew_…were currently on an S-ranked mission with no more backup than a couple Jounin and a Chuunin. There was a very real possibility that one or more wouldn't be coming back. One of her friends, or in Naruto's case, potential friends…might not be coming back. She wasn't sure if she should be scared, perplexed, concerned…or some amalgam of all three.

Tenten, however, was slightly confused. Was the cringing on the girl's face due to her not liking Naruto, or perhaps Naruto knew Ino somehow, and she was concerned for his safety? She decided that she needed more information. If the girl was a friend, then perhaps she could be _her_ friend too. If she was like apparently almost everyone else in the village, then she was going to have nothing to do with her. Tenten didn't exactly know what caused the people of Konoha to look at Naruto like they did…but whatever it was, it was blatantly unfounded. She didn't want to be friends with _anyone_ who held that same prejudice…whatever it was.

She cleared her throat and turned back to her ramen. "So, you _do_ know Naruto-kun? I don't think he's ever spoken to me about you. He was in your class or something?"

This seemed to break Ino from whatever thought process she had been absorbed in. She gave a half-hearted smile to Tenten and looked back at her own ramen, her countenance much more subdued than before.

"I…I wouldn't say I really _know_ him. Hell…I'm not sure that _anyone_ knows him anymore. I just….I saw him here at this ramen stand about a month ago for the first time since the academy…and he was virtually a completely different person than he had been back then. Physically, mentally…he wasn't at all like the Naruto I remember from my classes with him. Since then, I've been trying to work up the courage to come here and meet him again sometime…I really want to find out more about him."

Tenten smiled, even if only cursorily. The girl was on the same general quest that she was. They both just wanted to find out more about the enigma that Naruto had become.

She slurped up another batch of noodles and then turned her head back towards the blonde haired girl, giving her a wry and somewhat commiserating grin.

"You sound a lot like me when I first met Naruto-kun. He was a friend of my father's, somehow…even when my father didn't make friends that easily. They seem to share some bond that I know nothing about…and when I asked my father about it, he just told me to ask Naruto. Naruto was…hesitant…to share anything about himself, so I resolved myself to become his friend so that I could learn more about him. Luckily, Naruto didn't refuse. Now that I've actually gotten to know him…he's one of the most kind and caring people you'll ever meet, and he's one of the best friends anyone could ask for. Though…he seems to only be that way to people who have gained his trust. I have no doubt that he'd be hell-on-feet to his enemies, or cold to anyone who he _doesn't_ trust."

Ino flinched again, more forcefully. She hadn't counted on Naruto being cold to _anyone_. She had just assumed that the boy was as happy-go-lucky as he always was, and that she could simply ask to be his friend, and it would be done. She supposed that it _would_ make sense that he'd changed emotionally, too. She stopped herself from thinking too hard on the possibility of her being part of that change.

"Cold to people he doesn't trust, eh? I see." She felt a bit defeated. Naruto was going to be cold to her. The boy had _no_ reason to trust her at all.

Tenten cocked her head confusedly. "Well yeah. I mean, he doesn't exactly have the best reputation in this village, to put it mildly. It's just a defense mechanism. He's not been treated that well by the people here, you know. Although, I have no idea why…"

Ino seemed to grow even more depressed. Before Tenten could ask her obvious question, Ino cleared up the situation succinctly.

"I used to be one of those people. In school, me and forehead…er…Haruno Sakura, one of my better friends…picked on Naruto relentlessly. We…we picked on him because he was a convenient target to launch attacks at, considering that no one seemed to like him, and even the teachers treated him badly. It was just…_normal_ for him to be the target of our…of _everyone's_ ridicule…and anyone who wanted to be seen as normal or as 'cool' would tease him about everything from his clothes to his status as an orphan. He just took it all with a smile and an obnoxious attitude, though. I never thought the world 'cold' would ever be used in relation to Naruto's demeanor. He's always just been happy-go-lucky and obnoxiously upbeat for as long as anyone's known him…I guess…I guess everything caught up with him though…"

Ino sighed, not noticing the narrowing of Tenten's eyes. "I don't think Naruto will ever trust someone like me. I mean…why would he? I never showed any interest in being his friend, nor did I ever really talk to him outside of teasing him…so I'm sure he holds me in contempt…he'd be cold to me just like he is to everyone else."

Tenten laid down her chopsticks on her mostly eaten bowl of ramen and clasped her hands in front of her in a thoughtful yet seemingly measuring gesture. Ino just looked at her confusedly.

"The only real reason you want to become his friend is to learn more about him then, right? Assuming that's even possible…what would you do even after you learn more about him? Would you just stop being his friend, because your goal was met, or would you keep being his friend even after that? That's the question, Ino…regardless of how you treated him in the academy, if you're going to be his friend…then you have to want to actually be his _friend_¸ and not just some acquaintance who wants to know more about his past."

Ino's eyes widened. She hadn't thought of it like that. What _would_ she do after she found out what made Naruto tick? More than that…was her desire for friendship with the boy out of curiosity, or perhaps even pity and a need to make up for what was obviously horrible treatment prior to this? Was she just going to _use_ Naruto once again, or was she genuinely interested in having him as someone who she felt safe talking and being around with? She scowled. It came down to a question of just how shallow she would allow herself to be.

"I…I don't know, honestly. I mean…I feel bad for how I treated him in the academy…and I really _do_ want to know more about him…but, I don't know enough about him to know if he and I can even _be_ friends. If he's so much different than he was at the academy…has he changed so much that he's no longer someone who I could be friends with?" Ino sighed and rested her forehead on her own clasped hands, wondering just what she should do.

Both girls sat in relative silence for a few minutes, lost in their thoughts, before Tenten broke the silence. She finished her ramen and stood up, throwing a grateful look to the shop's proprietor. She turned her back to Ino and made to gather up her teammates, before she stopped.

"Ino…" Ino looked up and stared at Tenten's back, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"If you really want to become Naruto's friend…then you'll obviously have to work at it. That's not my problem, nor will I _make_ it my problem…but know this."

Tenten turned around and gave Ino one of the coldest glares she'd ever received. She could actually feel a bit of Ki in it. She had to consciously keep from shuddering.

"If you're just going to use Naruto or only be his friend to gain more knowledge about him…then it will _become_ my business. Naruto is one of my only friends, and even though we aren't the _best_ friends in the world yet…we're still friends. I'll spare you the speech, but suffice it to say that I'll _hurt_ you if you_ hurt_ him. That's all there is to it."

With that, Tenten turned around and tapped lee on the shoulder, her cheerful façade back in place. Lee quickly finished his own ramen and began shouting something about youth and exuberance, while Neji thanked the stand owner for a good meal. Lee allowed Tenten to lean on his shoulder, as she was still exhausted, and the group began their trek back to the Higurashi residence.

Ino simply sat there, a stunned expression on her face. Tenten was indeed a good friend of Naruto's if she would threaten her so openly in his defense. It caught her as a bit odd that the girl said they weren't 'best friends', yet Tenten had explicitly threatened to 'hurt' her if she hurt Naruto. That was something that only _very_ good friends did.

She allowed her face to fall slightly. She no longer had a choice in the matter. Either she would go all in, and become Naruto's friend…or she would just forget about him and know him as only a fellow ninja. There was no middle ground anymore. Of course, this all assumed that Naruto would survive his mission. She cringed.

She turned back to her half-eaten ramen and hung her head. She had some thinking to do.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto was a weapon. Gai could accept that, no matter how tragic it might be.

What he could _not_ accept was sending him on a mission that was, by all rights, _suicidal_.

As he walked up the stairs that ascended to the Hokage's office, he scowled…an expression that was not very common on his face. What could have possibly possessed the Hokage to send Kakashi's team and two other Nin on a mission that should have been reserved for ANBU or twice that many Jounin? More than that, if there was a good reason to send Naruto on an S-class mission, why did he have to send the rest of his team as well? Surely the Kyuubi vessel, if he was strong enough to take on an S-class, should not endanger his other teammates by bringing them along, right? To him, it made no sense.

They needed reinforcements, at least. At most, they needed to be recalled, and an ANBU team sent in their stead.

But then again, he was not the Hokage.

He was broken from his thoughts as the secretary outside of the office told him to wait a few minutes, as the Hokage was apparently in a meeting of some sort. He simply nodded and sat down on an adjacent seat. His lack of bravado seemed to upset the secretary…or rather, _unnerve_ her…but he was _not_ in the mood. His façade could stay hidden for now…this was no time for farcical antics.

"Gai? What are you doing here at this time of night?"

Gai looked up to see Asuma standing in front of the doorway to the Hokage's office, predictably smoking a cigarette. He looked perplexed to see Gai with such a serious expression on his face, but he otherwise looked to be in a good mood.

"I am here to speak to Hokage-sama about a mission that he assigned Kakashi's team. They are in need of reinforcements."

Asuma quirked an eyebrow. "How, exactly, do you know that they need reinforcements?"

Gai stood and began walking towards the office, only stopping when he was beside Asuma. "Because Hokage-sama sent a Genin team, two Jounin and a Chuunin on an S-Class mission. If you were in the same position…would you not need reinforcements as well?"

Asuma's cigarette dropped from his mouth. Oyaji…had sent Genin on an S-class mission? What the hell? Was his father getting senile or something? Sure, Naruto was a weapon of sorts…but he was _still_ a Genin. What could have possibly possessed him…?

He was broken from his thoughts as Gai let forth a sigh. "If this is about what I think it's about…perhaps you should be party to this as well."

Asuma's eyebrow quirked even higher.

The tense atmosphere was broken by the Hokage's door unceremoniously opening to allow a one-armed, one eyed man in a white robe and copious amounts of bandaging through. He had large amounts of scarring across his face, chest and even his arms, and it looked as though he had been on the wrong side of a few too many Kunai. Even his jet black hair seemed to be missing certain chunks of follicular foliage. Gai and Asuma both repressed the urge to flinch. Danzo was never a pretty sight to behold.

"I believe our meeting has been most informative, Hokage-sama. I look forward to your answer."

The bandaged man didn't even turn to speak to Sarutobi as he spoke, simply preferring to glide out the door silently; vanishing around the corner as a cat or perhaps a _rat_ might…Gai wasn't sure which animal was more appropriate.

Seizing the moment, Gai turned towards the Hokage and bowed slightly. "Hokage-sama, if you would, please allow me a brief audience. I will try not to take up much of your time."

A tired looking Sarutobi turned to look at him with an expression somewhere between intense thought and concern. Gai said nothing.

"Of course, Gai-kun. Please, come in. I assume that Asuma will be joining you?" Sarutobi took a cursory puff on his pipe as he spoke, mentally rolling things around in his mind. If Gai was serious, then it was usually something important. More than that, Asuma wasn't smoking. That was always a bad sign…or good, depending on how you looked at it.

Gai simply nodded. Both Nin walked into the room and sat down in chairs right in front of the aged Kage's desk. After a few moments of silence, Gai spoke.

"I have heard from a…reliable…source, that you have sent Kakashi's team plus a Jounin and a Chuunin on an S-class mission. I will not ask what the mission entails, or even your reasoning behind it…but I _would_ ask that you send reinforcements. Surely a Genin team, two Jounin and a Chuunin are not enough to tackle an S-Class mission on their own." Gai's tone was very businesslike and clipped…careful not to let any emotions through.

Sarutobi sighed out a plume of smoke, resting his forehead on his hand. He should have known that knowledge of Naruto-kun's mission would not be a well kept secret for long. Then again, he wasn't sure if he ever intended for it to be a secret in the first place.

He looked up at Gai and gave a tired yet reassuring smile. "Your concern for your fellow ninja is commendable and touching, Gai-kun…however, I would ask you to trust my judgment on this issue. Both of you are well aware of Naruto-kun's 'condition', and that is…regrettably…one of the reasons why I sent his team. With the upcoming Chuunin exams as well as various other tasks, I am left somewhat shorthanded…and by using Naruto-kun, I am able to conserve resources. Believe me when I say that I would not have sent Naruto-kun or any of the other ninja on this mission if I did not believe that they had a good chance to complete it and return safely."

Gai's eyes narrowed slightly. "I trust your judgment implicitly, Hokage-sama…my concern is that…even with Naruto's condition, the team may not have the necessary skill or resources necessary to complete their mission. S-Class missions usually consist of high-ranking assassinations, VIP escorts, VIP Hostage rescues, and the like…Genin are not sent on these missions for obvious reasons, even reasons outside of the obvious skill-gaps. I and Asuma are both available to go as backup if you so choose, and I know my team could use some time off. Please, consider my request, and know that I readily volunteer myself."

Asuma leaned back in his chair and smirked slightly. "I didn't know that Gai could volunteer _me_ for anything…but yeah, I guess if I needed to, I could go."

Sarutobi looked both over both Jounin ninja with calculating eyes. Gai was effectively forcing his hand. He was giving him the option of sending reinforcements…_good_ reinforcements…and making it clear that _he_ thought it was the best decision. More than that, should he _not_ send reinforcements, then undoubtedly, he would lose respect in Gai's eyes…and perhaps even Asuma's. He even briefly considered the possibility that they would go whether they received orders to or not. He beat back a sigh that had been forming in his throat. He supposed he didn't have a choice.

Standing, he made his way to the window, gazing out upon the village that he loved so much. If only the villagers knew the danger they were constantly in…

"I will explain the mission to you that they are on. If you feel, after I have finished, that they still need your help…then I shall consent." He took a puff on his pipe and made to begin, regardless of if Gai or Asuma agreed.

"Approximately two days ago, I sent Kurenai and her team on a mission to wave country…ostensibly to protect a bridge builder from bandits and their ilk. Not even a few hours into their mission, apparently…they were confronted by two missing Nin from Kiri that were at least Chuunin level. From what I could glean from the missive I later received from her, they were both defeated soundly, and the team made the decision to continue the mission from that point, even knowing the risks."

He took another puff on his pipe and blew out a large plume of smoke, obscuring the window for a moment. He had noticed in the reflection that Asuma was now listening intently.

"After this, they encountered another missing Nin from Kiri by the name of Momochi Zabuza, as well as his apprentice who is apparently of a fairly high level as well. They battled, during which Kurenai was seriously injured, Hyuuga Hinata was kidnapped, and Zabuza, apparently, was injured badly as well, but was rescued by his apprentice. The note left out quite a few details, however…much of this is supposition."

Asuma's eyes widened and he shot out of his chair, leaning heavily on the oaken desk before him. "Kurenai was injured? How badly? Damn it…Oyaji, please, send me and my team if necessary! I need to go –"

"Calm down."

Asuma's tirade abruptly stopped.

The elder Sarutobi looked at him with a piercing, if not a bit sympathetic glare. "Kurenai is a competent Ninja. I doubt that you'd have much better luck going up against a High-A to Low-S class missing Nin like him. Hence the reason I sent Naruto's team, as well as the two reinforcing Nin. There's more to deal with than simply a missing Nin."

He sighed and sat back down, an action that his son mirrored. Gai was now as still as a statue, and his glare could have burned through steel if necessary…luckily, Sarutobi was made out of stuff much harder than steel.

"There is a man named 'Gato'…who has effectively blockaded the country for the past few years. Normally, we wouldn't involve our ninja in a dispute such as that without ample compensation…however, Gato is apparently behind the attacks on my Nin. That is a transgression that I cannot forgive."

He puffed on his pipe once more. "He apparently has a moderately sized mercenary army at his disposal, numbering somewhere in the range of 600-700 men. A skilled Jounin and an accomplice could tear through that many untrained buffoons without much effort, which means that a well trained Genin team and a Chuunin should be able to destroy them with a fair amount of ease as well. That is the reason that I sent Genin and a Chuunin on this mission. Kakashi and Anko…the other Jounin…are very skilled, and should be able to annihilate Zabuza and his apprentice without much hassle, while team 7 and Iruka should be able to take care of the mercenary force and the general wellbeing of the town. Hyuuga Hinata will of course be the first and most important priority, of course."

Gai's eyes widened. Iruka…was sent on a mission…outside of the village…before he could speak his concerns, Sarutobi shot a piercing and particularly nasty glare his way, obviously telling him to 'shut up' in no uncertain terms. He complied, if only to avoid bodily harm. He supposed that the less people that knew about Iruka's…condition…the better. And judging by the Hokage's reaction, Asuma was not one of those people who knew. Still…sending Iruka was as much of a gamble, if not more so, than sending Naruto. He would simply trust the Hokage…for now.

"Nevertheless, Oyaji…we're available to go. My team just got back from a mission a few days ago, but I'm sure they're ready to go on another one if necessary…or I can just go myself along with Gai…however you want to do it, just please…send us!" Asuma was nearly pleading now, and his eyes were set in a determined if not almost hectic glare at his father. Gai simply nodded, silently adding his weight to Asuma's sentiment.

Sarutobi turned around abruptly, his eyes shining with a bit of fury. He slammed his free hand on his desk. "And what, exactly would that accomplish? Zabuza and his apprentice are evenly matched by Kakashi and Anko! Kurenai and her remaining two Genin are in good hands with Naruto being a healer, and team 7 is by far the most advanced Genin team currently in the leaf village! Do you not believe that they can take care of themselves in this case? Do you really believe them to be so weak?"

The Hokage took a deep breath and lowered his head, mentally reigning himself in. Asuma held a slightly shocked look on his face and Gai too looked as though he had seen a ghost. It was _very_ rare for Sarutobi to lose his temper…but when it happened, you really didn't want to be the cause or target of it.

After a few more calming, deep breaths, he looked back up with an only slightly apologetic expression adorning his aged visage.

"They can handle this mission. You two, on the other hand, have teams to be responsible for. There are missions to be done, and I cannot in good conscience divert resources away from that without a very good reason to do so. If any other non-sensei Jounin become available, or things slow down, then perhaps I will send them…but for now, I choose to believe in Naruto, Kakashi, Anko, Iruka, Sasuke and Sakura. They will prevail."

Sarutobi fell to his chair with a huff and leaned back, throwing a now fully compassionate look towards the two Nin in front of him.

"That doesn't mean that I won't send reinforcements, however, if the situation changes or anything happens. You can have faith that I _will_ be monitoring this situation closely. You have my word on that."

After a few more moments of silence, Asuma sighed and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a long drag. Gai simply smiled slightly. At the very least, he had assuaged their fears. More than that, it gave them confidence that they would all return safely. That was the main concern.

Gai stood and bowed slightly. "I understand, Hokage-sama. I apologize for the imposition this has caused."

Sarutobi waved him off with an apparent dismissal. "Nonsense. You were caring for your fellow comrades…there is nothing to apologize for."

Asuma too stood, and nodded his head towards his father slightly, taking a puff on his cigarette at the same time. He wasn't nearly as formal as Gai. With a half-ram seal, he simply poofed out of the office. Gai, after bowing again slightly, did the same.

After a few moments of silence, a tapping sound could be heard coming towards the Hokage's desk. After another moment, a tiger masked ANBU could be seen near the Hokage's chair.

"You didn't tell them everything, Hokage-sama"

Sarutobi sighed again, turning around in his chair to stare out at the village once more.

"I'm not ready to send some of my best Nin's on a backup mission on rumors and speculation, Tenzo. Your sources have not confirmed the report of other Nin in the area, have they?"

Tenzo simply sighed and shook his head. "They have not disproved it either. You know as well as anyone that all rumors have a basis in truth, even if only a little."

The Hokage took another puff on his pipe as he scowled. "I am not so old that I need to be scolded like a child, Tenzo. Trust me when I say that if your information is confirmed, then I shall send all of my available Shinobi to help…but for now, it could be nothing more than a fleeting ghost of supposition. I will err on the side of conservation, if I am to err at all."

Tenzo sighed again and simply nodded, walking out of the office once more. Sarutobi was as stubborn as they came. He had simply hoped to spur along the decision to send more Nin. Predictably, he was not to be swayed.

Sarutobi sighed and took another long drag on his pipe, savoring the full and rich flavor of the smoke. He noted the hint of chicory in this blend. It must have been one that Asuma bought for him.

"I am so sorry, Naruto…but to capture a rat, one needs bait. Please…Naruto…" he seemed to be speaking to a deity that was ever present, yet not there in any corporeal sense. Perhaps he was simply speaking to the wind.

"Please…stay safe. For the sake of the village…expose the rat."

----------------------------------------------------------

It had to have been a dream.

He had heard her voice. It had called his name. More than any of that…she had sounded so…sad. So lonely. Heartbroken…perhaps even hopeless. It had been the voice of a broken girl.

_Hinata_

Perhaps…if it hadn't been a dream…she would hear him too.

_Hold on. I'm coming._

Shaking his head, Naruto stood.

"Perfect timing, Naruto. We were just about to wake you up to set off. We want to hit the village under the cover of night. We leave in five minutes."

Cracking his neck, he glanced over at Iruka and gave him a small smile…which turned into a full blown yawn. "Understood, Iruka-sensei. Did we get any information off of the leader?"

Iruka's face took on a slightly chagrined look. "Yeah…but Anko was disappointed. He broke after only a few minutes with her. We got enough information about the town and the outlying areas to be able to move rather well…with any luck, we'll meet up with Kurenai and her team by early morning."

Naruto, having finished stretching in a decidedly vulpine manner, simply nodded. He did a quick equipment check…noting that everything was where it was supposed to be…before he pulled up his mask and snapped it on. He hoisted his backpack over his shoulders and made sure that his sword was in a good position to draw…and noting that it was, he simply nodded again, before calmly walking towards where the rest of the team was currently gathered.

Stepping into the semi-circle around Kakashi, Sasuke gave him a cursory nod, and Sakura gave him a small smile…which he returned, despite himself, even though the girl couldn't see it. His opinion of the girl was slowly changing…she was at least showing that she could act when shit hit the fan. He made a mental note to thank the girl for the blood transfusion once they reached…wherever they were going.

Kakashi nodded, mostly to himself. Everyone was gathered. "Good. I trust everyone's ready?"

Receiving a round of nods, he spread out a small map on the ground and took out a kunai. It would have to do in lieu of a pointing device. Using his finger didn't quite occur to him.

"This is a rather rudimentary map of the village we will be entering. Since it's not that specific, I'll just point out the high spots." He gestured to a part of the map that held a fair amount of trees and wooded villa-style homes that was on the west side of the village.

"This is…for lack of a better term, the 'rich' area of the village. Or at least, from what I was told, it used to be. A fair amount of residents have taken refuge here, as it's only somewhat harassed by Gato's thugs…but it's still dangerous. What thugs _do_ venture into this area are usually the most skilled of all of them. Sasuke, you are assigned this area in which to clear out. There's not that many, but they make up for it in skill. That's your forte, I think."

Sasuke nodded, steeling himself. He hadn't had nearly as much rest as Naruto had…but he hadn't quite expended his energy like Naruto had either. He debated the merits of asking the Dobe for another chakra transfusion.

Kakashi then gestured to the eastern part of the map. It was the most ramshackle of the entire town, seemingly…but it wasn't that large either. "This is the poorest district of the village…and coincidentally, it has the fewest mercenaries. There's no money to be made off of the homeless, after all."

Naruto was sure he _heard_ a scowl come off of Kakashi.

"Anyway…not very many people live here anymore…most of them have migrated as far west as they can, preferring to take up residence in abandoned houses and whatnot. The people that _do_ live there are usually the indentured. For lack of a better term, they're nigh slaves. Gato uses the residents of this area as cheap labor…and he doesn't need many mercenaries to force them to do it either. Sakura, this will be your area. There's not that many and what few are there are not tremendously skilled. You should be able to handle it."

Sakura, while containing her fear, nodded. She was being trusted with this…whether she could _do_ it or not was the question. She forced those thoughts from her mind. It would do no good to get scared here. Besides…she _was_ being given the easiest job. Regardless of the fact that it irked her 'inner self' to be given the easiest assignment, she was at least realistic enough to realize that she was the weakest of the three of them. She set that tidbit of self introspection away in the back of her mind to think over later.

Kakashi gestured to the middle of the map, where there was the highest concentration of both people and housing…as well as the market district. It was also the largest quadrant.

"This is the heart of the village. It has the markets, stores, most of the housing and what few gambling parlors are left. More than that…it also houses the only _known_ house of ill repute in the village itself. Predictably, this is also where the highest concentration of thugs and mercenaries are. Though…it's safe to say that most of them are distracted and drunk."

Kakashi glanced up and met Naruto's eyes, even through his mask. It was a silent question. _Can you handle this?_

He answered it by releasing a small amount of Ki. Naruto could have sworn he saw a smirk on Kakashi's face, even through _his_ mask.

Kakashi glanced back down. "Naruto, this will be your area. The mercenaries here are not that skilled, they're distracted, and they're very much 'run-of-the-mill'. It's quantity over quality…your forte perfectly. You _will_ have the extra mission of liberating the women who have been forced into prostitution, but I assume that you can handle that."

Naruto nodded. He would _enjoy_ hunting them down. Kyuubi, feeling his bloodlust, subconsciously growled in anticipation from beside Naruto, earning slightly startled stares from everyone but Anko and Kakashi. They had noticed the fox join them minutes ago.

Naruto reached down and pet Kyuubi on the head, feeding her a bit more chakra. She gave a thankful yip before turning her gaze back to Kakashi…something everyone mirrored.

Kakashi put away the map and stood back up. "While you three are eliminating the threat in the village, Iruka will be guarding the women that we recently liberated here. Once the village is secure, they can be escorted to be back with their families." Iruka nodded slightly.

All three of the Genin nodded at this as well, each of them steeling themselves further. Their motivation was the women they had just rescued. Images of what they had looked like…what had been done to them…they flooded Naruto's mind. Naruto didn't restrain his Ki this time, and interestingly enough, it was joined by Sasuke's. Naruto was surprised by the fact that even Sakura's relatively weak Ki could be felt among them. He grinned. Perhaps they didn't make that bad of a team after all.

Kakashi eye-smiled and then became completely serious. "I want to see you three back at wherever the rendezvous point is set at _alive_, understand? Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. I'd rather you be alive and have your pride wounded than you be dead. Dead men have no pride."

All three Genin simply nodded.

Kakashi nodded as well. "While you four are doing your assigned tasks, Anko and I will be searching out where Kurenai and her two Genin are currently holed up. Once we find them, we'll secure the location and let you all know where it is over the headsets. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. Kakashi eye-smiled again.

"Right then. Let's move out."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guard duty sucked.

No women…no booze…no fighting, at least, not these days…it was just standing on the edge of town, watching the trees for signs of intruders.

He could count on one hand the number of possible 'intruders' that he had come across in the past week or so.

Sighing, he uncorked a small flask he kept at his hip. Gato had issued orders that _implicitly_ stated that those on guard duty were not to drink…but most had disregarded it. Booze was a mercenary's best friend. You couldn't ask a man to give it up just because they needed to be sharp.

Sighing, he brought the flask up to his mouth and took a swig.

He noticed a burning…almost hissing sound. Taking the flask from his mouth, he looked around. It was still there…but it had changed when he moved his flask. Quirking an eyebrow in curiosity, he looked down at his silver flask.

It had an explosive note on it.

He had just enough time to scream before the note, the flask and the contents therein exploded, throwing shrapnel into his eyes and coating him with burning alcohol. He thrashed on the ground for only a moment before a shuriken to the forehead silenced him forever.

Sasuke dropped from the tree he had hid himself in and quelled a smirk. That was a contrived death worthy of even one of Naruto's cleverness.

He suppressed a scowl. He would _not_ compare himself to the Dobe.

Shaking his thoughts from his head, he noticed that a few other mercenaries were heading his direction. Images of the women from before assaulted his consciousness. His features hardened, and his Sharingan activated. The one tomoe in each eye spun wildly, a testament to his rage. He may not care about much…but _men_ did not do that to women. These…_worms_…were not men.

Slipping on his knucklers, he approached the now fully-aware-of-his-presence mercenaries, who looked at him and smirked.

"It's just some kid. I can't believe that idiot let himself get killed by a kid."

"Just means more money for us…hey, how much do you bet that I can kill this kid –"

Sasuke stood in front of the man who had just been speaking, a Kunai buried hilt deep in the man's throat. He removed the kunai with a jerk, and with a spray of blood, the man collapsed in a heap…Sasuke supposed that he would drown on his own blood.

The man who looked like the self-appointed leader took a few steps back. There was silence for a moment before the man's eyes widened.

"You…you have a forehead protector…oh shit…_it's a ninja!_"

Sasuke smirked. It came out as a cold sneer.

"Uchiha Sasuke. Konoha Genin."

He raised his bloody kunai.

"I suggest you remember it."

He tossed it through the air with precise force, piercing another mercenary's throat. The man let out a gargled scream as he fell, dead.

"It will be the last name you ever hear."

He attacked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was his lucky night. He was sure of it. Some god, somewhere, had smiled down upon him.

In front of him stood a girl with pink hair and a red dress. She couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen…green eyes…soft curves of a girl…innocent eyes…

He almost drooled. If he couldn't visit the brothel tonight because he had guard duty, then at least he could have this morsel. He hoped she was a virgin. It made it so much more fun.

"Oi…little girl…what are you doing out here, hmm? Did you wander away from your parents or something? Come on, I'll help you find them."

The girl stood still.

He tried his best to put on a reassuring smile. "Better yet, you can come to my tent and stay there while my friends find your parents. I have warm food and plenty of water! You'll be safe there!"

The girl stood still.

He waited a few moments. Perhaps the girl was simply thinking over his offer. Was that a twitch on her face? No…no, that wasn't. She hadn't moved. He snarled.

To hell with this. He took a few steps forward, the reassuring smile now off his face. It's not like he couldn't overpower a twelve year old girl, after all.

He reached out and tried to grasp the girl's neck, hoping to make her pass out so he could carry her back to his tent. He wouldn't be sharing tonight.

His hand passed right through her.

He felt a cold steel pressed to his neck. The rhythmic breathing that reached his left ear let him know that he had just been snuck up on.

"You know…I've only ever killed one person before. It was revolting. I threw up."

The man swallowed nervously, a smile matching his demeanor covering his visage. "Oh…oh really? Well…you know…you don't have to do it again…right?"

Silence met his ears for a few moments. He began to slowly move his right hand towards a knife hidden near his hip. If he could just reach it…

"I don't really have to, no."

The Kunai slid across his neck, ripping open his carotid artery. He fell with a silent scream and thrashed on the ground, getting a sight of the same girl that had just been in front of him. He was left wondering just how a twelve year old girl got the jump on him.

His last sight was of Sakura's forehead protector.

Sakura sighed and wiped the Kunai on her dress. It had been textbook…right out of the academy. Divert the enemy's attention, use stealth to remain undetected, and neutralize the threat. A simple Bunshin had done the trick.

She turned around and began walking in the direction where she had seen more mercenaries.

"I didn't have to…but I certainly wanted to."

And that scared her.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why? Was this punishment for something? Were they angry with her?

They had taken her parents away. She hadn't seen them for weeks. The ninja's had come…and for a while, she had felt hope again…but now…the ninjas were gone too. Where were they? Weren't they supposed to save them all?

She rubbed a bruise on her hip. She remembered when the bad man had hit her the day before. She had said or done something bad, and he had hit her hard and then laughed when she cried. She hated the bad men. She wished…she just wished that they'd all go away.

"Oi, brat, we're waiting! You don't want me to hit you again, do you?"

She startled. That's right. She was bringing them their drinks. They were on guard duty. She had been forced to come with them.

She stopped herself from crying. They'd just hit her again if she did that.

She dragged the two casks of Sake behind her, exerting with every bit of force her seven year old body had to get them to her captors. They had sent her almost five minutes ago to get this sake…and they would be mad with her. She whimpered. Why? Just…why?

A man with an eye patch grinned maliciously as he saw the girl that his men had captured bring them their sake. The cries of an innocent girl made him all _fluttery_. It was just so…_narcotic_.

He reached down and grabbed the two bottles, giving the girl a scowl in the process. She knew what was coming. He thought, with a twisted bit of logic, that perhaps the girl had come to enjoy it. Such was the depravity of his condition.

He reared his hand back. He would make this one hurt.

Just as his arm prepared to swing…his hand fell off.

He screamed.

All present looked to see the black and red clad form of a twelve year old masked blonde boy standing behind the man who was currently thrashing on the ground. The boy was breathing heavily, and his head was focused on the ground. They watched as an almost invisible wall of energy simply _exploded_ out from him. All felt it. It was horror. It was carnage. It was purified and focused _death_.

Naruto growled, both inwardly and outwardly. This son of a bitch was using this…_child_…as a slave. From the bruises that he could see on her…this man had hit her before. His anger increased, as did his output of Ki. Red chakra began to leak from every pore…subconsciously; he had tapped into Kyuubi's vast reserves. He could feel himself losing a bit of his humanity…but he was gaining so much more in return. He could lose himself to this anger…

He looked up.

"You know…I was going to come in and make some grand entrance…I was going to do something cool and heroic…"

He walked forward and picked up the thoroughly stunned girl, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. He gave her a comforting pat on the back, and she smiled…perhaps for the first time in weeks. She felt safe now. The bad men wouldn't be here anymore. The good man had saved her. Maybe he was a ninja too? She didn't care. She just closed her eyes and let herself get comfortable. This man wouldn't let anything happen to her. He felt almost like her dad did.

He raised his bloodied sword above his head.

"But honestly?" The killing intent intensified. A low, rumbling growl could be distinguished from the sounds of chakra rolling off his body.

"You fucking sons of bitches aren't worth it."

He brought his sword down.

_Hundreds_ of Kage Bunshin came out of the forest, bounding towards the position the men currently occupied. They closed the distance very quickly.

Several men fell to Kunai through various vital organs. Others fell to shuriken embedding themselves in the same place. Still others fell to swords cutting off heads or limbs or severing bodies in twain. Screams could be heard throughout the small impromptu arena, and blood quickly marred the ground into a red hue of death.

But one man did not get such a luxury.

The man on the ground who was missing a hand looked up at the masked blonde with something that resembled a cow looking at an oncoming train. Dull, unblinking and uncaring…belying the terror underneath.

Naruto looked down on the man. "I don't take to men who hit children very well. I've had some bad experiences with that." It came out almost as a snarl.

A splatter of blood from a nearby dying mercenary spilled onto the man's face, finally stunning him into reality once more. There was a boy with a sword standing above him, and he could tell that he was more than capable of killing him. Death…his death…

"I…I…you…_please, I don't want to die_!" He was crying now. He didn't want to die. He didn't want to die! He had worked so hard to get to this position! He commanded hundreds of men! His life…his life was perfect! He couldn't die now!

Naruto took off his mask, revealing, of all things, a smile. A terrible, twisted, malicious smile that seemed horribly out of place on his face. His eyes were red, his pupils slit, his whisker marks enlarged. The man wondered if he had finally invoked the wrath of a demon.

"I know. That's what makes this so much more enjoyable. You're feeling terror, pain, hopelessness, frustration…you have the desire to live still…and you simply _won't_. It's like pushing against a mountain or trying to cut the ocean. You _want_ to live, but you just…_can't_. I won't let you. You will _die_. Your will means _nothing_. Only _my_ will matters to you anymore. I have the power over your life…and your _death_."

The boy raised his sword and unceremoniously plunged it into the man's stomach, eliciting another scream from the man. Naruto's grin widened.

To the man, suddenly, it was as if parts of him that didn't even exist, somehow felt pain.

A red energy flowed down the sword into his midsection, melting skin, tearing muscles asunder and incinerating vital organs. It spread. The energy enveloped his entire body and traveled along his unused chakra coils, searing them shut. It finally reached his brain, targeting the centers of his higher mind functions, eliminating any and all thought.

But Naruto made sure that the parts of the brain that received the nerve signals for pain stayed undamaged.

The process took only five minutes, but the man felt pain that equaled a lifetime. His body burned from the inside out, his mind lost all function, his organs lost all coherency…he was alive only to experience pain and hopelessness. For five minutes of his miserable life, he experienced a life's worth of suffering.

And then it was over. His body turned to nothing more than dust and bone. A burnt impression of his body scorched the ground. Proof of his death would last generations. Naruto's smile widened. That had felt _very_ good. Something inside of him had _allowed_ that to feel good.

The girl had seen none of it. Naruto had put her to sleep moments before the entire ordeal had begun. She did not need to see such things. She would stay innocent…as innocent as she could be, anyway.

He noticed with only a small amount of peeved frustration that his Kage Bunshin had all been dispelled. Kage Bunshin certainly weren't as strong as the original. He made a mental note to strengthen the technique later.

'_Oi, Kyuubi…can you take care of this little one? I have something I need to do.'_

The fox trotted up next to his leg, having been hiding in the shadow. She wasn't at all unnerved by the actions of Naruto. The man had deserved it.

'**_Of course. Go. She will be safe.'_**

Naruto snapped his mask back on and lowered the girl onto Kyuubi's back gently. She wrapped her tail around the girl.

'_Thanks.'_

He began walking towards the clump of mercenaries that had their swords drawn. They were standing just outside of the entrance to the village. He smirked. He was beginning to enjoy this. The feeling of ending lives like theirs was near euphoric. It elicited some sort of carnal pleasure that his human psyche bathed in. It was justified; therefore there was nothing wrong with it. He could kill these men without any consequence.

Subconsciously, he called up even more of Kyuubi's chakra to join his own. He shuddered with pleasure. The smell of blood assaulted his nose…the cries of the near dead assaulted his ears…his smile widened. He almost laughed.

The men tensed, a few started to sweat, and still others began looking for possible escape routes. _Everyone_ had felt that force of Ki. If it had come from this kid…none of them stood a chance. Most of them contemplated running…but…where would they run _to_?

He walked until he was only twenty meters in front of them, and stopped. He had an idea, as was evidenced by the widening of his already malicious sneer. With a hand seal, he created a Kage Bunshin, and with a ram seal, he gave that Kage Bunshin more chakra than it technically needed to survive. It would need it, however.

After giving his mental commands to the Kage Bunshin, he brought his hands up and formed seals quickly, ending on Tora. He breathed in.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

The raging ball of fire hurtled towards the thoroughly panicking mercenaries. Just as it neared them, the Kage Bunshin began forming hand seals. It faced its hands outward.

"Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

A tempestuous gust of wind emanated from the Kage Bunshin's hands. Apparently, wind _was_ faster than fire. The wind Jutsu met the Goukakyuu just as it descended upon the doomed mercenary's position.

For just a split second, it seemed as though the wind Jutsu would completely dissipate the fire Jutsu. The Goukakyuu seemed to lose all coherence as the wind blades embedded in the cone of wind tore it asunder. Naruto almost frowned.

And then everything caught fire.

It was as if a river of fire from hell itself had manifested on earth. The fire from the Goukakyuu simply _exploded_ outwards, engulfing and feeding off the air, while at the same time maintaining its momentum. The fire seemed to flow on the current of air that the Daitoppa had created, and in mere moments, what had once been a 'simple' ball of fire, was now a flowing river of incineration.

They didn't even have time to scream. The mercenaries' position had been roughly thirty meters outside of the semi-garrisoned town itself. As such, Naruto hadn't had to worry about catching anything collateral in the blast. That meant that he had been able to add a very large amount of chakra to each Jutsu. This in turn, meant that the Jutsu's were literally as powerful as they could be.

Considering the organic resistance of the mercenaries' bodies, the river of fire slowed when it hit the wall of flesh. But only slightly. If one strained their ears, they could listen and hear the searing of flesh, the evaporation of bodily liquids and the almost literal 'oven' effect from being within such flames. They could also hear a few strangled screams.

And then, as if it hadn't even happened in the first place, the fire dissipated…all of its fuel spent.

What was left behind was chilling

Piles of ash. Bodies half consumed with nothing but scorch, the rest of the body simply a pile of cinders. Corpses in the last throws of pain, contorted into death masks. Their skin singed off and evaporated, their fat broiled, all moisture in their bodies spent. To anyone normal, the scene would have made them blanch and probably throw up. Hell, even Kakashi probably would have paled slightly.

But Naruto just smiled. He hoped they had felt pain.

The mercenaries that had been further away, however, began to tremble. Who was this…boy…no older than maybe twelve or thirteen…who had killed so many of their own…did they stand a chance? Could they surrender? Would they be able to run away?

One man didn't much care. He slowly advanced on the unmoving form of Naruto, his sword thrown down and his hands in a clasped form in front of him. Their only chance was to surrender. Surely, none of them could beat a power like this. To kill so mercilessly…to kill without compunction…it was unheard of in someone so young…but…whoever this boy was, he hoped he had a shred of mercy.

He got to within a meter of the boy and dropped to his knees. He cleared his throat.

"P…please, who-whoever you are…I…I will lay down my sword and leave…I will never return. Please, just let me go! I will not ever pick up a sword again! I just…I wish to surrender! Please, show mercy?"

Naruto's head quirked ever so slightly, belying the smile that was still on his face, underneath his mask. "Mercy?"

It was said in a genuinely curious tone. The man wondered if perhaps he was considering his plight. He inwardly began to relax. He would live!

"Mercy…is this the same sort of mercy that you _people_ showed the women who we rescued earlier? Perhaps…the same mercy that you and your kind have shown the people of this town? Is _that_ mercy? If so…then by that definition…"

Naruto raised his sword, and the man closed his eyes. No…he didn't want to die…

"If that is your definition of mercy, then I would be glad to grant it."

With a clean down-stroke, his sword was brought across the man's left shoulder. The shoulder sprayed blood, the clavicle broke, the subclavian artery severed, and the arm fell off. The man screamed, while clutching his stump. He had thought he would be granted a clean, quick death, at least…but this…he was being left to bleed to death.

Naruto's grin, if possible, widened further. The man would be given time to think of his death now. It would probably take about two or three minutes to bleed out fully from his wound. He would feel panic, despair…all the wonderful emotions that his enemies should feel before they die. A part of his mind questioned perhaps if he wasn't going a bit overboard, but he crushed it ruthlessly. He didn't know where this mindset had come from…but he liked it. Nothing would stop his fun now.

Kyuubi was only slightly concerned at this point. This _really_ didn't seem like Naruto. He may have become a different person during the last month…but to be _this_ bloodthirsty…this ruthless…it was almost as if he had another 'Naruto' inside of him that was interfering with his own judgment. Shaking her fox head, she cleared those thoughts. She was with Naruto through thick and thin, bad and good. If he wanted to visit this sort of hell on his enemies…so be it.

Naruto, with a liberal use of chakra applied to his feet, sprung forward…right into the midst of the remaining clump of mercenaries. He swung his sword wildly; catching some by their face, some by their stomach, and some by their spine…he didn't really much care _where_ he hit them, only that he _did_. This felt too good to think about too much. The rational part of his mind knew that something was wrong with him…but he wouldn't give it jurisdiction over his other instincts just yet.

Seeing that small child about to get hit had brought back memories. It had unburied something…_different_ inside of him. Anger had overwhelmed him. It had felt _good_. Naruto didn't know what it was that his anger had brought forth…but he wasn't sure he wanted it to stop.

For now, he would let things play out. He would kill them all. He would save the people of this town. If that meant that he had to become ruthless and bloodthirsty…he would not complain.

As blood splattered onto his face, his grin widened.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi repressed a forlorn scowl.

Naruto…had become something else. He wasn't sure what it was, but the Naruto he knew now certainly wasn't the Naruto that everyone had come to know over the past twelve years. Sure, he had changed over the past month or so since his interaction with Kyuubi, and his revelation of family…but this…

He had been leaping from rooftop to rooftop when he and Anko had both felt it. The force of Ki had been unreal, and the feel of the chakra was unmistakable. It had washed over the entire town, if the villagers reactions had been any indication…and his chakra could be felt by anyone with even a small amount of chakra-sensing ability. It was unmistakably Kyuubi's chakra, and Ki.

Whatever had happened to make Naruto lose it like that…must have been something that touched Naruto personally. To subconsciously pull that much chakra from the seal, his emotions must have been tumultuous at best…raging at worst.

He pushed those thoughts from his mind. He had a mission to do. Naruto could take care of himself…and if even a sliver of the old Naruto still resided there, then the innocent people of the village could only benefit from his blood rage. Naruto, even at his worst, would never hurt innocents.

Kakashi noticed Anko giving him a sideways glance, and he just eye-smiled as he always did to let people know that everything was 'ok'…or at least, everything that they needed to know about was 'ok'. Anko didn't need to know about Naruto's relationship with Kyuubi, or his training, or his ability to use the fox's chakra. Maybe at a later date, but not now.

Pakkun, who was currently leading both of them to where he smelled Kurenai, gave him a backwards glance as well, but just as quickly as it was there, it was gone…replaced with slightly widened eyes and a vacant gaze.

Suddenly, Pakkun was going much faster than he had been.

"Kakashi, I'm picking up more scents from where I initially smelled Kurenai. A lot more. We should probably hurry."

Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly. If Kurenai was injured, then there was the possibility that she would be wholly unable to defend herself from even the worst of mercenaries. Then again, if the two members of her Genin team were up and about, then they really didn't have much to worry about. Letting forth a small 'tch' sound, he increased his speed…something that Anko mirrored.

"For now, we'll assume the worst until we can confirm otherwise. Anko, when we arrive, I want you to immediately find Kurenai and her team and confirm their safety. I'll hold off whatever enemies there might be until we can get a grasp on the situation. Then we can both wipe up the mercenaries and signal the others."

Anko nodded and refocused her eyes forward, something that Kakashi did as well. Both Jounin's thoughts regarding Naruto were pushed out of their mind, in favor of the single-minded desire to reach Kurenai and her team.

After a few more minutes of leaping from roof to roof, Pakkun finally came to a stop. He didn't even need to point out to Kakashi where Kurenai was.

There was a clump of mercenaries, maybe fifty strong, surrounding a ramshackle house supported by stilts over water. It wasn't large, nor was it small…but it certainly looked to be in disrepair. The mercenaries were apparently doing everything they could to bash in the front door of the house, but weren't succeeding.

Kakashi understood why immediately, as did Anko. There was a Genjutsu…albeit, a very minor Genjutsu, that surrounded the entire house. It made the mercenaries believe that they were trying to break through something much less sturdy than it actually was…and they seemed to be disoriented and confused as well. The result of all of this was that their makeshift battering ram was made from a small sprig of bamboo, and the mercenaries themselves were acting as though each of them were inebriated. Kakashi wondered if perhaps they were.

He pulled out a Kunai, noting absently that Anko had already done so. Nodding to her, they both set off.

Kakashi leapt down right in front of the house, directly in the path of most of the mercenaries. He shook off the minor disorientation that the Genjutsu gave him, dispelling it on himself with a fair amount of ease. Anko landed right behind him, and promptly kicked in the door, running inside. Kakashi turned his attention immediately to the mercenaries.

If they noticed him, they didn't give any outward signs. Most of them were staring at him blankly, with semi-vacant stares. Kakashi smirked. They were still under the haze of the Genjutsu. He brought his kunai up. That would make his job considerably easier.

Anko on the other hand, was greeted far less benignly.

"Take this, you impudent fool!"

Without warning, a frying pan was aimed squarely at her head, being wielded by an old man with spiky grey hair and small spectacles. Anko frowned. They probably thought she was an enemy.

She brought her free hand up and blocked the man's arm, dislodging the pan in the process. With a deft motion of her hand, she grabbed the pan and flung it across the room and into the sink. She then sheathed her Kunai and put up her hands in a placating gesture, along with a comforting grin…or at least, she hoped it was a comforting grin. She had the tendency to come off as a bit twisted sometimes.

The old man stopped for a moment, thoroughly confused as to what had just happened. He looked at his hand, and then at the sink, and then back at his hand…before he finally drew his gaze upon Anko. Noting her placating gesture and twisted yet…strangely comforting smile…he decided that this woman might not be an enemy.

Bringing his hands down from the haphazard fighting posture he had assumed, he then noticed that the woman had a forehead protector exactly like the ones that the ninja had. He sighed in relief.

"Tsunami! The reinforcements are here! We're safe now!" The man had turned and yelled over his shoulder, before turning around and giving Anko a tired yet positively beaming grin.

"I gather from the forehead protector that you're one of the ninja from Konoha, right?" seeing the woman just nod, he sighed in relief again. They were finally safe again. Not letting himself dwell on it, he finally realized that there were pressing matters to attend to.

The smile came off his face, and Anko seemed to start slightly at the change in demeanor. She too, however, got serious.

"I'm glad you're here. You came at a very opportune time. Please, come in. There is much to discuss, and not much time to discuss it in." The man turned and waved Anko into what looked like an impromptu sitting area, and she followed him in.

Before the old man could motion for her to sit, she looked at him sternly. "I do understand that we need to be brought up to speed…however, I need to confirm Kurenai and her team's safety and security before we do anything. I know they're in here somewhere."

The old man simply nodded. It made sense. Motioning her again to a back room, they both made their way down a hall and to a small door, which the old man summarily slid open.

Anko had to restrain a gasp.

Aburame Shino lay on the ground directly in front of her in the room, bandaged from the waist down. If the blood soaked bandages were any indication, it looked as though his legs had been badly injured. His arm was in a makeshift sling, and it was tied directly to his torso, indicating that he probably had a broken rib or two.

Inuzuka Kiba lay right next to him, only slightly less injured than his teammate. Most of his body looked to be relatively uninjured, save for minor scrapes and bruises, but his chest was heavily bandaged, and much like his friend, his arm was in a sling as well. Kiba's dog lay on the boy's stomach, his leg bandaged, but otherwise, unharmed.

Both looked to be unconscious.

She withheld a grimace. Merc's didn't do this. This had to have been done by a ninja.

Walking into the room, she noticed a boy and an older woman who were both kneeling over the form of what looked to be Yuuhi Kurenai. Most of the woman was obscured by the other black haired woman and the kid, however she could see that Kurenai looked to be relatively unharmed, at least from the waist down.

She turned to the old man. "How long have they been like this, and what is the extent of their injuries?"

The old man grimaced and bowed his head. "Kiba…I think that's his name…is relatively unharmed, save for what looks to be a few broken ribs and a broken arm. Shino…the one with the bugs…has a lot of superficial injuries, but only a broken arm and a broken rib beneath the surface. The dog only got a bad cut on his front leg."

The old man then turned to look at Kurenai. His face fell.

"The red-eyed woman, however…well, you should probably see for yourself." He walked over towards where Kurenai lay and kneeled down next to the other woman and the boy, refusing to meet Anko's gaze.

Anko didn't much like that.

Walking further towards Kurenai, more of her body came into view. Her upper body, for the most part, looked unharmed save for a few scratches and bruises, and her right arm looked to be a bit scratched up at worst. She couldn't see the left arm yet…but she assumed it was in a similar state. She frowned. Did she have a head injury?

As she came up to the prone form of her comrade, she _couldn't_ restrain a gasp.

The woman didn't have a head injury. Her hair and face here almost impeccable. More than that, she looked to be in relatively good shape, all things considered. However, Anko wasn't looking at Kurenai's face or head anymore.

She was looking at Kurenai's left arm…or rather…her lack of one.

Before she could say anything, the black haired woman spoke. "I'm…not really sure what exactly happened…but when they arrived, she was missing her arm, and she was bleeding…a lot. By some miracle, I stopped the bleeding with some ointment that I keep on hand, and lots of pressure…and before she passed out completely, she took something she called a 'blood pill'…but other than that, there wasn't much we could do for her. She's alive…but…she hasn't woken up at all."

Anko grit her teeth. She supposed she should be thankful that Kurenai was still alive…but without a left arm, Kurenai's ninja career was over. Even if they could find her arm now, she doubted that any kind of medical ninjutsu could reattach it.

With a great amount of effort, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Yuuhi Kurenai were all alive, and they were secure…for the moment. That meant that she should rendezvous with Kakashi and take care of the rest of the mercenaries, and then call the other four to let them know where to come to. They could decide what to do with Kurenai afterwards.

Forcing herself to calm down, she looked at the old man. "Stay here…I'll be back."

Seeing the man nod, she quickly made her way outside, drawing a Kunai in the process. She needed to work off some rage…and some cannon fodder mercenaries would do the job quite well.

Such thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when she exited the doorway and found Kakashi wiping off his Kunai on his pants. The mercenaries, down to the last one, were dead, and Kakashi barely looked winded. Anko repressed a sigh. She should have figured as much.

Kakashi looked over to her and gave her an eye-smile. "They were easier than I thought they would be."

Anko nearly face-faulted. Of course a clump of mercenaries would be no problem for a Jounin. Especially one like Hatake Kakashi. She should have assumed as much.

Regaining her composure, she gave him a hard look, bringing them both back to reality. "You should probably see this. All three are alive…but they're injured, bad. Unless you know any medical Jutsu, we should probably get Naruto over here."

Kakashi's eye hardened immediately, and he simply followed her in. When they arrived at the room Anko had been in previously, Kakashi's reaction was much like her own. She could see his grip on his Kunai tighten ever so slightly.

Gathering himself, he simply sighed and turned back towards her. "The only medical Jutsu I know is one that can stop blood loss…Shino and Kiba's injuries are far more serious than anything I know how to treat with chakra. Kurenai…" he trailed off for a moment, before he shook his head morosely.

"I'm not sure there's anything we can do for her…but I'll let Naruto be the final judge of that. Get on the headset and let the others know where we are. Once they all show up, we can discuss what to do next. For now, I'll guard inside, and you can set up a perimeter outside."

Anko nodded. Once again trotting for the door, she leapt up onto the roof of the house, scanning the area. Finding no immediate threats, she brought her hand up to the transmit button on her headset.

"Iruka, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto…we have found Kurenai and her team. We're at the southeast corner of the village, along the pier. Once you get close enough, you should be able to feel my chakra signature. Copy?"

The first to respond was Sasuke. "…copy. I should be done soon." She could tell it was him from the deep baritone of his voice.

Anko tapped her transmit button once to indicate that she'd received his transmission. She waited calmly for the next three to come in.

Another burst of static. "…copy. I'll bring the women to the town square and then rendezvous with you over at the pier."

Anko tapped her transmit button in confirmation. Iruka most likely wouldn't have much trouble with his part of the mission at the moment. Most of the resistance had already been cleared out by Naruto around that area.

She glanced around once more, taking in the area, waiting for the last two transmissions to come in. After all, she _was_ still on guard duty.

After a few minutes, she considered retransmitting. As she brought her hand up to the transmit button, however, she heard the telltale static of a transmission beginning.

"…Understood. I'll be a bit…" his transmission cut off for a moment. When it came back on, you could hear a small gurgle in the background. Anko almost smiled. Naruto's voice sounded rather happy.

"…this might take me a while. Don't wait up."

Anko once again tapped her transmit button, confirming her receipt of his message. She brought out a senbon and began to clean her teeth. It was more of a habit than anything for dental hygiene.

After a few more minutes of waiting, she figured that Sakura had either not heard her initial message, or her transmitter was broken. Frowning slightly, she pressed the transmit button once more.

"Sakura, do you copy?"

Nothing. Another two minutes went by.

Anko began to worry. The girl's transmitter had probably been broken in a fight, or perhaps even short circuited from blood-splatter. Kami only knows how many times that had happened to her. The thought that perhaps not everyone was as twisted or bloodthirsty as her didn't quite cross her mind.

"Sakura, please respond. This is Anko…please confirm your whereabouts."

Anko let another two minutes pass, and then she _really_ started to worry. Again, she figured that the girl's transmitter was malfunctioning, but she couldn't shake a bad feeling she was having.

Scowling to herself, she pressed the button one more time. "Sasuke, once you're done in your area, head to Sakura's area and check up on her. Her transmitter is probably broken. You can both meet up with us here."

After a few moments, she heard static again. "…copy."

Anko gave a childish frown at Sasuke's brevity. That boy really needed to learn how to communicate.

She scanned the area once more, and upon finding no other threats, she promptly laid down on the roof and put her hands behind her head, staring up at the sky. She still couldn't shake that bad feeling.

Frowning, she just closed her eyes for a moment and let her mind blank…her instincts allowing her to scan the area for threats without her having to be fully aware.

The girl could take care of herself. Or, if she couldn't…

She repressed a frown. If Sakura couldn't take care of herself…she'd learn rather quickly why Kunoichi needed to be as skilled as their Shinobi counterparts.

-------------------------------------------------------

Sakura sighed, for what seemed like the twentieth time in the past half hour.

This was getting easier. She didn't want it to get easier. Killing was not supposed to be easy.

Or rather…for a ninja, the _act_ of killing was supposed to be effortless…but the emotional and psychological fallout thereof was supposed to be something that Ninja dealt with throughout their lives.

Creating another Bunshin, she scowled. Perhaps it was because she had seen what these men were capable of that she was finding it so easy to kill them. Or, perhaps it was due to the fact that she still felt disgusted at the first mercenaries' actions. She couldn't quite pinpoint it. There was _some_ sort of catalyst that had made it much easier for her to deal with actively killing these men. She wasn't exactly sure what it was. At the moment, she didn't much care.

Sneaking up on another mercenary who was currently occupied with her Bunshin, she effortlessly shoved her Kunai into the base of the man's skull, where the resistance was the least. Again, another textbook kill. Especially for Kunoichi. Kunoichi were trained to find the points of least resistance in a person's body, seeing as how they usually didn't have the strength of their Shinobi counterparts. What Kunoichi lacked in strength, however, was more than made up for in finesse.

The man fell in a heap on the ground, blood streaming from his wound. She walked forward calmly and dislodged the kunai from his head. She needed to conserve Kunai at the moment, considering that she probably had quite a few more enemies left to go. While they were ridiculously easy to kill, one false move, or lack of something important could doom her.

She sighed again. If that one mercenary hadn't gotten lucky and sheared her communicator off, she could have checked in with her team. As it was, once she was done, she would have to find Naruto or Sasuke-kun to find out her orders. Or perhaps her lack of communication thus far had already tipped them off. Either way, she was in a rather irritating position. Being 'behind enemy lines' as it were, and without any means of communication, she was effectively cut off. At least, until she could make contact.

She created another Bunshin. It began to walk up to another mercenary who was currently 'chatting' with a cloaked homeless man in a rather heated way. The homeless man seemed to be a bit better fed than most of the others who she had come across, as did his companion who was directly adjacent to him. She watched as the mercenary drew his sword after a particularly nasty comment, and she compelled her Bunshin to move more quickly towards the merc. She needed to redirect his attention so that the homeless man wouldn't be hurt.

It was much to her surprise when the homeless man stood up abruptly and disarmed the man, before summarily picking up the mercenary's own sword, and impaling him with it.

In shock, Sakura let her control over the Bunshin drop. That was no homeless man. The fluidity of motion he possessed, and the raw strength that he had seemed to use suggested that he was a trained fighter…perhaps even a ninja. She noticed a few wisps of chakra that came off the man, and she immediately tensed. That man was definitely a ninja.

His two companions immediately stood up as well, before they had a hurried conference. She concealed herself in the shadows as best she could. Whoever these ninja were, she would rather they not find her. At the moment, she sorely missed her communicator.

It was only seconds after she had repositioned herself that she felt a presence behind her. Before she could even turn around to confront the man, her vision faded to black.

-------------------------------------------------------------

His euphoria was starting to wear off.

He had slaughtered every enemy he had come across. Each mercenary had fallen more easily than the last. He had even come across a few who tried to take hostages…and he had made them regret that decision immediately. So far, none of the innocents that had been around him had been as much as _scratched_ under his protection. He felt a sliver of a smile come back to his face at that realization.

Nevertheless…his bloodlust was beginning to fade for some reason. It wasn't for lack of enemies or even lack of anger…rather, it was a sinking feeling in his gut.

Out of all of them, Sakura was the most cautious. She wouldn't take unnecessary risks. She wouldn't put herself into a bad position. She knew the extent of her skill, and she wouldn't do anything over and above that. If Naruto knew _anything_ about the girl, he knew at least that much.

Hence why he couldn't readily explain the feeling he got when Sakura wouldn't respond.

It wasn't exactly as if he _liked_ her. Or at least…he wouldn't admit to such a thing…but he had at least been able to be somewhat objective in his assessment of her recently. He _had_ been too hard on her. She wasn't like the rest of the team. She wasn't like Sasuke…she wasn't like Kakashi, or Anko, or even Iruka. She most certainly wasn't like him. She didn't have a tragedy in her past, nor had she had a harsh upbringing. She was _normal_. Expecting her to act like some hardened killer or even some hardened ninja was folly at best.

Nevertheless…she still needed to shape up. Regardless of her rosy past, she needed to be able to shed that 'girly' part of her in favor of something more malicious when she was doing her job. Naruto had thought that perhaps being rough to her would create a salutary outcome. Whether it had or not…he wasn't exactly sure that it was the best idea.

Perhaps this was all just a product of guilt. If Sakura really was in danger…would he like to have been known as being harsh on her? More than that…what kind of relationship did they have these days, anyway? She had been Naruto's number one crush in the academy, only for him to scorn her the day of team assignment. He was sure that his reaction was more out of irritation than anything, and he was sure that his feelings for the girl were _not_ romantic…but…nevertheless, he felt…_something_. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she represented normality.

He noticed, only half-aware, that he had decapitated another mercenary. He had been doing this for the past five minutes, at least. His body simply went on autopilot, and he was able to coast along, identifying friend from foe, and summarily executing the 'foe' contingent thereof. It simply wasn't 'fun' anymore. They didn't put up any kind of challenge. It was _boring_.

His thoughts abruptly stopped as he saw his main objective. The brothel. His anger flared again. His bloodlust returned. His euphoria…would undoubtedly return.

Naruto pulled his sword out of some mercenary's stomach. This was the place he was most concerned about. He had gone all over his assigned 'district' already, and he had killed probably every mercenary that _wasn't_ currently holed in this brothel. This was his last stop.

"E-E…excuse me, uh…Shinobi-s-s-sama?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Naruto looked up to see a woman, probably in her late sixties, looking at him with half-scared, half-grateful eyes. He willed himself to calm down.

"Yeah, what'd you want?" It came out much friendlier than it sounded.

The woman seemed to visibly decompress. "I…w-we…were wondering…" Naruto took notice of a few of the surrounding denizens of the village who currently surrounded him in a loose semicircle…

"W-we were wondering if…you were…well…planning on going…_in there_…"

Naruto watched as the woman gestured weakly into the brothel. A few of the other women and even a few of the men seemed to look hesitantly hopeful as he stared at what the woman was staring at…a small sign that read 'Employees of Gato Only'.

Hoping that he had sufficiently calmed down for his frightening façade to go away, he unsnapped his mask from his face, giving the woman…and everyone else around him…a beaming and radiant grin. Or at least, he hoped it was.

Much to his shock, everyone around him gasped. His grin faded. He wondered just what they were looking at.

"Y-you…you don't…you can't be more than…you're…"

He quirked his head. "What?"

The woman gaped at him for a moment more, before shaking her head resignedly. "You just…you don't look like…a killer. That's all. You look much more…innocent…with your face like that."

He almost let himself smile warmly. For whatever reason, that had felt good to hear. Instead of responding verbally, he just grinned again. The woman smiled back at him with the same warmth that her words had invoked.

He turned his head towards the brothel once more. "Yeah. I'm going in there. There are a lot of Gato's men in there, if my nose is right. Is there something you needed, or…?"

The woman stared at him with doe's eyes. They were imploring him.

"My daughter is in there…well…a lot of women are in there…and most of them are from our families…" Naruto watched as quite a few of the surrounding people nodded their heads forlornly. He could feel the anger well up in him immediately.

"We just…we wanted to ask you…if you could –"

"I won't hurt them. The only ones that will be hurt in there are Gato's men. Don't worry. I promise…they'll be safe." Naruto gave the woman another small smile.

The woman seemed to almost collapse. He could see tears well up at the corner of her eyes. "T-thank you. Really. You don't know how much this means to us…truly. Thank you."

All of the people around him seemed to mirror this sentiment. They all had the most hopeful and gracious expressions that he had ever seen on anyone's face. A few even broke down.

Instead of giving him the same warm feeling he had been subject to before, his anger spiked even higher. He quickly put his mask back on. He was sure that his face would no longer be innocent and carefree in a few seconds.

Gato…_Gato_…this man…had caused this pain. These men, under his orders, had caused these people anguish. They were suffering. Their mothers, daughters, sisters…were all being used as common _whores_ by these men…and their fathers, brothers, sons…they were being used as common slaves. Only the old, the infirm and those who had escaped capture were free. His Ki threatened to break loose once more. He restrained it by a thread.

Before anyone could say anything more, he walked up to the door. He brought his boot up, and with a chakra-enhanced kick, he smashed the door inwards.

It led into a hallway. Giving the woman who was now looking at him with proud eyes a last thumbs-up, he bounded inwards.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, he could smell it. It was the smell of sex…of depravity…sweat, grime, body odors…things he didn't want to think about. They all assaulted his nose at once and this only caused his anger to increase tenfold. It appealed to a baser instinct in him. Perhaps due to the Kyuubi…perhaps due to his own re-made mind…he couldn't restrain himself.

He bellowed. It came out like a howl. His Ki exploded. Red chakra broiled. He was sure that anyone and everyone within the entire village felt it. He didn't care.

He promised to himself…there, in that blood induced haze…that men like this…wherever they were…whatever he had to do…they would die. He would kill them. He would bring an end to such things. He would make sure that they _died in the most horrible ways possible_.

Naruto sheathed his sword. He wouldn't need it. Not for this.

Almost instinctually, he got on all fours, mimicking his more animalistic side. He growled. He could feel a smattering of pain throughout his body from the red chakra he was currently outputting, but he didn't care. If anything, it only served to fuel his rage. His euphoria returned. His narcotic ran through his body once more.

He sighted a door at the end of the hall. It was the only door there. It was all that stood between him and his _prey_.

More animal than human, he ran towards the door. Just as he got close, he raised his now clawed hand and brought it down forcefully, rending the door into splinters. It fell with a hearty crunching sound.

On the other side…was something that would sear itself into his brain for as long as he lived.

Everywhere he looked…men…with women. The men…drunk, half naked, with stupid grins on their faces that quickly vanished once they saw him.

The women…some with tear tracks, some with resigned expressions….all naked. All covered with certain…things…with…

Naruto…simply snapped.

More and more chakra boiled out of him. It bubbled around him and encased him in a cocoon. His eyes became large and round and _red_ as blood…his canines extended beyond his bottom lip…a low rumbling growl came from his mouth.

'**_Naruto…Naruto! What's going on? Why are you using so much chakra? Naruto! Answer me!'_**

He didn't even bother to form a coherent response. Through their empathetic link, he conveyed the image that he had first seen upon entering the room to Kyuubi. After a few moments, all he got in response was a simple growl.

A few of the men were looking at him with confused and almost afraid expressions…some of the women were looking at him with hopeful eyes…others were terrified beyond comprehension. He decided to declare which 'side' he was on.

Exploding forward, he rent a man in two with his clawed right hand. The man's innards sprayed all over the room, blood spurting from his now disconnected torso and hip. Turning his head to another mercenary who was just drawing his sword, he quickly glided over to his position and stuck his hand through the man's stomach, ripping his intestines and diaphragm out the other side of him.

Someone screamed. Pandemonium erupted.

Women started to flee for the exit. He let them. They shouldn't be here. Only they should be here…those men who were destined to die.

The men fled to the back of the room, trying to find a defensible position. They looked terrified, and just a bit delirious. A few hadn't even bothered to re-clothe themselves.

He calmly began walking towards them, his bloody claws glistening in the pale light of the room. The growl in his throat intensified. That smell still assaulted his nose. It was caused by these men.

A slow, malicious, horrible smile made its way onto his face. He could feel it again, full force. The euphoria of killing. The feel of flesh between his fingers. The blood on his claws. The scent of _terror_ as he advanced on these…_mongrels_…was intoxicating. It filled his nostrils, it pumped into his veins, and he shuddered. It was _rapture_…he didn't know why, but it just felt so _good_…he didn't want to stop…

So he wouldn't. He wouldn't stop until each of them was dead. Until each of them had felt pain the likes of which no man had ever experienced. If it were within his power, he would rend their very souls. He grinned at the thought. If only it were in his power, he would torture these men for eternity.

For almost an hour afterwards, villagers in the street could hear bloodcurdling screams coming from within what was left of the brothel. A few…though they would never admit it…thought that it was exactly what they deserved. Most others were simply too overjoyed to have their daughters, mothers and sisters back to care.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke _shivered_.

Mind you, he would never admit that he was scared of _anything_. That was unbecoming of an Uchiha, and a ninja in general. You kept your fears hidden, and your phobias completely suppressed.

But that wave of chakra…that wave of Ki…even though he had felt something close to it before…it was inhuman. To think that it was produced by _Naruto_ of all people simply boggled his mind. The image of a happy-go-stupid blonde still permeated his image of Naruto, no matter how much he saw to the contrary. Perhaps it was simply because he had seen that same image for years, and he had only been with the 'new' Naruto for a month or so. The 'old' Naruto was simply easier to distinguish, he supposed.

He had finished off his district minutes earlier. A secondary sweep of the area had verified that all enemies were currently disposed of, and he had made sure that there were no immediate dangers outside of his district that were encroaching thereof either. Apparently, Naruto had done his job rather well. He really shouldn't have expected any differently.

Currently, he was making his way across town to head to Sakura's district. The girl had apparently lost her communicator. Probably got into some protracted fight with some stupid mercenary who had gotten in a lucky hit. He couldn't exactly blame her…but he was a bit…_irked_ at the situation nonetheless. He disliked having to help _anyone_ with _anything_…especially one of his fan girls. He had helped the girl through a blood transfusion, and that was as far as he planned on allowing his benevolence to go.

He stopped for a moment. He had just crossed Naruto's quadrant completely, and he was definitely in Sakura's part now. He could see a few corpses scattered about with various injuries. Most of them had either slit necks or impaled skulls…the skilled work of a Kunoichi, for sure. He couldn't help but feel a small bit of surprise. He didn't think that Sakura had it in her.

He also noticed that a line of dead mercenaries abruptly stopped. There were mercenaries in this district that weren't taken care of. More than that…Sakura wasn't anywhere near them. He couldn't feel her…couldn't sense her…couldn't hear or even smell her. The only logical conclusion was that she _wasn't_ here.

He scowled. He didn't like this. He would have seen Sakura on the way if she was heading towards one of them…and he would have at least felt the girl if she were using any kind of chakra. As it was, it was like she had completely disappeared. Logically…this meant that she had either backtracked towards their original location in the forest…closer to Iruka…or she…was _indisposed_.

Bringing his hand up, he pressed the transmit button on his headset. "Iruka…is Sakura anywhere near your position? I'm not finding any traces of her over here at all."

A few moments of silence passed, before he could hear static again. "Negative. Sakura isn't anywhere near me…at least, as far as I can tell. I haven't come across her on my way to the center of town."

Sasuke frowned. That meant that she hadn't backtracked…she wasn't near Naruto, or else she would undoubtedly be using his transmitter to check in by now…she wasn't near the pier, or else Anko would have alerted them…he furrowed his brow, in both concentration and a bit of worry. Like it or not, Sakura was his teammate…and that meant that they were responsible for each other's welfare.

Before he could transmit again to Anko, Kakashi came on the line. "Sasuke…she isn't anywhere near you? What are you currently seeing?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. "She _was_ obviously here at some point…there's a line of dead mercenaries leading up to my current position…but then it just stops. No chakra signature, no chakra residue, no smell, or even sound. It's like she disappeared."

The line was silent for almost two full minutes before Kakashi spoke again. "…copy. I'll come to where you are currently. New orders everyone. Sasuke, I want you to take over for Naruto. Iruka, once you're done escorting the women to the square, I want you to come to Anko's current position. Naruto…I need you here at the shack. Kurenai and the rest of her team are pretty badly injured. You're the only one here with medical capabilities. I'll look for Sakura and see if I can't find out what happened. Does everyone understand?"

Immediately, the radio crackled again. "This is Iruka…copy."

"…copy." Sasuke stuck with brevity again.

Anko just tapped her transmitter.

Everyone waited for Naruto to respond. Silence permeated the line for almost three full minutes. Sasuke almost began to worry.

Finally, static came over the line. Heavy panting could be heard in the background, and a few coughs were heard as well.

"…understood. I need to get cleaned up first though. I'll be there soon." He sounded raspy and almost sick. Like someone with a bad cold, sans the nasal congestion.

Static. "Naruto…are you alright?" Kakashi sounded genuinely concerned. It was uncharacteristic for the Jounin.

For a few more moments, the line remained silent. Then static came on again.

"…I will be. I just got done in the…brothel."

Sasuke's eyes fell, and he flinched, in spite of himself. For Naruto to sound like that after being in the brothel…he suppressed the urge to punch something. It must have been horrible. He selfishly allowed himself to feel some relief that Naruto had already taken care of it. He wasn't sure if he would have wanted to be responsible for something like that.

After a few moments of silence, static crackled over the line. "…I see. Sasuke…go relieve Naruto so he can get cleaned up immediately…we need his skills here soon. Naruto…we'll talk when you get here. You all have your orders. Move."

Kakashi had sounded restrained. Like he was holding in an emotion that they were all feeling at the moment. Pity, understanding, and anger. Pity for Naruto, understanding of his predicament, and anger at the mercenaries. Sasuke allowed himself a dejected sigh. Truly, the world was a horrible place, if twelve year olds had to be dealing with forced prostitution.

Clearing his mind, he spun on his heels and bounded back towards where he had felt the initial spike in Ki. He wasn't sure what there was actually left to do in Naruto's district…but he'd do a once over, just in case. If for no other reason than to find another mercenary or two.

They made great outlets for anger.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Blood doesn't wash out easily. That was why he was burning his clothes.

Naruto stood at a river bank, stark naked save for his boxers, and dripping wet. He had washed off in the small inlet only minutes earlier, trying, and failing, to get the blood off his clothes. Most of it had washed off…but the stains had dried into the cloth. That's why he was burning them. The clothes were worthless now. At least the heat from the flames was drying him off faster.

He sent a forlorn look at his armor. That had washed off a bit better, but there was still quite a bit of dried blood on the metal composite. He hadn't been able to scrub it completely clean. It would be there until he was able to find some steel wool and industrial solvent.

Naruto sighed and began to think as he reached into his pack and began pulling out a change of clothing. He wasn't really sure what had come over him. It had felt _good_ to kill those men…and more than that, it had felt _right_. The feelings were fresh in his mind. His rational thought processes were able to discern that it wasn't _supposed_ to feel good to kill…but his more animalistic side was baying for even more blood. As it was…the euphoria had faded. He could still feel…_stirrings_…inside of himself…but they were considerably less pronounced than before.

The Kyuubi's chakra was probably a trigger, he imagined. It amplified his already considerable animalistic traits, including his desire for the hunt, the desire to kill…and so his mind just gave in. Or rather…_he_ gave in. He was under no illusions that he wasn't in control of himself before. He had been fully aware of his actions…he still was. But it had felt so good…so free…so _liberating_ to simply _give in_ to those emotions for once. He had taken the opportunity, eyes fully open to the consequences.

Shrugging on his shirt and pulling on his pants, he wondered just how far he would go…if he ever _had_ to call out even more of her power.

'**_You're worried.'_**

Kyuubi trudged over to him in her fox form, her tail brushing against his leg. He allowed himself a small smile, before becoming morose once more. Sitting down, he began strapping his boots on, giving Kyuubi a small scratch behind the ear. Kyuubi sat down next to him and leaned on his side, enjoying the sensation.

'_Aren't you? I mean…what I did…'_ He broke off…not being able to find the right words to describe what he had done. He wasn't ashamed of it…he was simply scared of what he had been forced to become to actually _do_ it.

Kyuubi nipped his hand slightly, breaking him from his momentary thoughts. **_'No, I'm not really worried at all. What you did was help a town gain its freedom. You killed bad men. What was it Iruka said… "A sane human does not kill for pleasure, and a sane human does not mourn ajustified death. There are some people on the face of the earth that simply deserve death…and there are people that must die for the greater good." These kills were justified. They deserved death. They died for the greater good. You fulfilled three of those requirements…so what if you felt a little pleasure from it?'_**

Naruto scowled, his ministrations on Kyuubi's ear stopping. _'I'm not supposed to feel _any_ kind of pleasure from killing, Kyuubi. None. It's supposed to be something I do out of necessity…something I do because at the time, it needs to be done. Perhaps I do have a few animalistic tendencies…but that doesn't excuse it. I felt _good_ killing those men. I felt alive and free…frankly, it scares me, Kyuubi.'_

Abruptly, Kyuubi shifted out of her fox form, taking on her human look once more. Her face had a kind, understanding look on it…and also an undercurrent of righteous frustration. Naruto quirked an eyebrow…and neither party noticed that they hadn't stopped leaning on each other.

"Naruto, you did what you had to do. More than that…you didn't hurt even _one_ innocent. You went out of your way to avoid property destruction, you rescued hostages…the only people you hurt were the mercenaries. If it was a bit fun, be thankful that you can feel something other than guilt at killing people…if your psyche were completely human, I'm sure you'd be feeling horrible right about now. As it is…you know who the enemy is. You only hurt the enemy. You're no monster, nor are you insane…or any more insane than usual, I guess." Kyuubi gave Naruto a playful grin, which Naruto returned slightly.

Naruto returned his gaze to the ground, his smile gone from his face. Kyuubi was right, of course. He hadn't hurt any innocents, he hadn't damaged much property at all…and he had helped liberate a town. Everything he had done today would be considered 'good' by most people.

The nagging sensation remained, even after he had rationalized it. He simply shook his head. Perhaps there was too much left of his humanity. If he was going to be a ninja…undoubtedly, this would happen again. It wouldn't do to have this emotion rear its head every time he killed a bunch of mercenaries, bandits or thieves.

Kyuubi just patted him on the chest in a friendly way, before she got up and dusted off her clothing. This broke Naruto from his thoughts once more, and he fully pulled on his boots and snapped his armor on, watching as the embers of his clothes died out. He strapped his sword and backpack on, as well as re-taping his kunai pouch to his leg and re-tying his forehead protector around his neck. Finally, he snapped his mask on his belt. He would go without it for a while.

Naruto watched as Kyuubi once again took the form of a fox, this time her normal small self, instead of her larger, battle-oriented form. She climbed up Naruto's pants and wrapped herself around Naruto's neck once more, before giving Naruto a small pat with her tail to signify that she was ready.

He simply nodded and jumped away in the vague direction of Anko's scent.

He never noticed the eyes that had watched their entire conversation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"She's unharmed, as per my instructions?"

The Nin in front of him simply nodded. He was grimy, and he smelled of something awful, but he supposed that that came with the territory when you were staked out in a homeless district.

Rouhi grinned. On his face, it came out as something of a malicious sneer.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the Nin who was in need of a bath, and stood from his chair. Their bait was secured. Now all he needed to do was extract a little information from the girl. Undoubtedly, she had _some_ information on the boy that they could use. She was, after all, the teammate of Namikaze Naruto.

He walked down the halls of the temporary base they were using, taking in the artwork that adorned almost every square inch of the thin plaster walls. He let forth a derisive huff. Gato may be useful at the moment, but his personality left much to be desired. The man put replicas of priceless artwork on expensive-looking, shoddily crafted walls. He was a miser, at its worst.

He finally came up to a room that was _not_ crafted shoddily. The thick iron plating on the door looked to be tempered and reinforced. No doubt the work of a fine blacksmith. Gato, it seemed, placed a great deal of worth on securing his…_captives_. He briefly wondered if perhaps the misguided fool saw _them_ as 'captives'.

The Nin at the door gave a curt bow to Rouhi, before opening the door with his free hand. It slid open to the left, revealing a sharply different room than the door indicated. It was decorated much like the hallway was…red imitation velvet on the walls, wood paneling going to the floor, and a small fluorescent bulb that illuminated the room rather well, for its small size. A small bed, a small toilet, and small bathing area were off to the left.

Currently on the bed was a pink haired girl with a small white smock that adorned her petite frame. The girl's hands and arms were bound behind her back securely, and her feet were chained to the cement floor. She had on a black blindfold that was wrapped tightly around her eyes, and for all purposes, she looked unconscious.

He stepped into the room and closed the door softly. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a small vial of smelling salts. He placed them under the girl's nose for just a moment, before the girl groaned slightly and unconsciously wrinkled her nose in disgust. He smiled and stepped back, willing to let the girl get her bearings.

Sakura groaned. Her head felt like she had been hit by a sledgehammer…and for whatever reason, her hands were numb. She attempted to shake them a bit to get the blood back moving in them again…but she found that she couldn't move them. Hell…it wasn't just her hands…she couldn't move her arms at all. Frowning, she wondered if she had slept at a funny angle and accidentally cut of blood flow to her arms during the night.

Opening her eyes, she expected to see the ceiling of her house…but instead saw black. Was it still night time? What had woken her up, she wondered. Once again, she tried to move her hands or arms, completely without success.

She then noticed that there was a rhythmic breathing in the room besides herself. Without even thinking, she reverted to her ninja training and tried to jerk herself upright…only to find that her feet wouldn't move apart. Cursing, adrenaline soared through her veins as she tried to make sense of her situation.

It all came back to her in a flash. The mission…the mercenaries…those men who had moved like Ninja…she gasped. She had been knocked out somehow. But…if she was just waking up…where was she…

"I see you've finally realized that you're not in Konoha anymore, my dear. And you should really stop trying to move your arms. You're chafing your wrists rather badly."

Her head swiveled towards where the voice had come from. A sense of dread started to overcome her. This was a voice she'd never heard before.

"Who…who are you? Where am I? What's going on?"

The voice chuckled. She could feel a presence coming close to her. A hand touched the back of her head, and instinctively, she bent her neck to try to bite him. Her teeth met with nothing but air, however.

The blindfold fell off without ceremony, not giving Sakura any time to adjust to the light. She flinched backwards, her eyes closing instinctively.

"Trying to bite me? You're a feisty one. I'm sure my men would appreciate that."

Turning back towards the voice, she opened her eyes cautiously. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted to the light.

'The voice' was an old man…probably in his sixties…with platinum grey hair and a wrinkled, unassuming face. His eyes were a dark brown, and his clothing consisted of a dark red, intricately patterned yukata, with wooden sandals and a black obi tied loosely around the waist. A black haori covered his torso as well, and the bottom of the yukata was parted, allowing a black hakama to show through. A carved oaken cane was in his right hand. Overall, he very much looked the part of an aristocrat, and he held a very refined, yet…_malicious_ aura about him.

The sense of dread only increased.

The man simply gave her a smirk, before finding a small wooden chair at the corner of the room to sit in. After carefully lowering himself into it, he simply stared at Sakura for a full minute. Sakura took this time to take in the room, and her predicament…she was chained to the floor by her feet…her hands and arms were _tightly_ bound…enough so that her blood flow was almost completely cut off. She was in a white smock instead of her normal red dress. She almost panicked at this. Who had taken off her clothes?

She took a few deep breaths. So…she was captured. Probably by those mercenaries. They had obviously hired ninja too. She calmed herself down and closed her eyes, formulating various ways that she could try to escape, or failing that, let her team know where she was. Getting out of the ropes would be hard…but doable…cutting the chain would be the hard part, but there had to be something around here she could use as a metal file. After that, it was simply a matter of evading the ninja and taking out a few of the mercenaries along the way, and she could get to freedom. Barring any of that, she might be able to flare her chakra enough so that the others felt it…but she wasn't sure if she even had enough chakra for them _to_ feel in the first place…flaring it might not do her much good.

"I'll let you know right now…this entire complex is filled with people…the chains connected to your feet drain chakra, and this room is surrounded by three full inches of steel plating. I would abandon any thoughts of escape, little girl. You're stuck here until such time as we deign your usefulness at an end."

Her thoughts stopped, and her heart dropped. Now that she took the time to sense it, she could feel the chains on her feet drawing all of her chakra into the ground, and she had no reason not to believe this old man about the walls and the 'complex'. Her head fell, and her eyes went blank. Without her chakra, she was just another girl with basic taijutsu training. She couldn't even hope to flare her chakra for the others to sense, at this rate. She certainly wouldn't be able to cut the chains with any kind of chakra enhanced instrument, if the chains themselves absorbed it.

The man just gave her another small, arrogant smile. "You see? You're at my mercy. Now, I suggest you take your mind off of escape, and redirect it towards making your life a little more bearable during your stay here. I can easily have you untied and have food and water brought to you, as well as your old clothing…but first, I need something from you."

Sakura raised her head and glowered at the man fiercely. Though…she was feeling anything but on the inside. Perhaps the reality of the situation hadn't quite hit her yet, but she was feeling almost numb.

The man's smile grew even wider. "I'll take that as a 'keep going'."

He stood abruptly and steadied himself with his cane, walking closer to her. "I suppose that introductions _are_ in order before we start. I know that you are Haruno Sakura from Konoha…and you may know that I am Kataiyoru Rouhi. I lead a group of Nin who are currently…well, lets save that for later, shall we?"

Sakura blinked confusedly. That name… "Kataiyoru…Rouhi … 'To come from mistake, waste'? Did your parents name you that?"

Rouhi sneered and contemplated backhanding the girl. Instead, he reigned himself in…it wouldn't do to torture the girl…yet. After all, she wasn't the first to misconstrue his name that way…although, all of the others who _had_ were no longer among the living. Including his parents.

He decided to ignore her comment, and the somewhat satisfied smirk on her face from knowing she had struck a nerve. The grin on his face replaced by a glare, he drew himself up even higher, and added a small amount of Ki to his presence. He was rewarded as she shivered slightly.

"Now, we can do this the _hard way_, or the easy way…but I need _information_ from you. A few simple questions, assuming you answer truthfully, and you won't have to see me again for a while. You'll get food, water, and you'll gain use of your arms again. Really, a very advantageous opportunity for you."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, all mischievousness gone from them. "I'm not answering anything until you tell me why I'm here…_and_ where 'here' is."

The man chuckled darkly and turned away slightly. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a _choice_ but to answer me…but, I'm nothing if not pragmatic. If you know your circumstances, you may be more…receptive to telling me what I wish to know. Very well. You're here because you have information that I need, but mostly because you make good bait. 'Here' is a secure location in the forest. That's all I'll say."

Sakura's eyes widened. "…bait? For what?"

Rouhi chuckled again. "Why, for your teammate, my dear. Undoubtedly, he has been indoctrinated with the Konoha values of teamwork and camaraderie…once they realize that you're gone, they'll search high and low for you, and when he's alone, we will use you to make sure that he is compliant with our demands. Quite simple, really."

Sakura immediately paled. They were after Sasuke-kun? They were going to use her to get to him?

She fixed him with the most vicious stare she could, considering how afraid she was. "I'll never tell you anything about Sasuke-kun! I'd sooner bite my tongue off and kill myself than endanger him!"

Tetsu looked at her as though she had grown a second head. After a few moments, he guffawed loudly. Once he had calmed down, he fixed Sakura with a condescending and amused smile.

"Child, why would we be after that Uchiha brat? We have no interest in the Sharingan. No, we're not after 'Sasuke-kun', my dear…we're after Namikaze Naruto. Your _other_ teammate."

She froze. They were after Naruto? What did Naruto have that _anyone_ would be after? Sure, he had grown in skill over the past while…and he had even gained some good looks…but…wait, _Namikaze_ Naruto?

The old man fixed her with an amused stare. "Oh, that's right…I suppose that's not exactly common knowledge in the leaf, is it. I would have thought that he would at least tell his teammates, however…a shame, really."

She narrowed her eyes even more. The sense of dread was back full force. "…tell us what?"

Rouhi's condescending smile turned into a full blown _grin_. He sat back down on his chair and propped his cane against the side.

"Ah, not so fast, darling. Information for information. You tell me what I want to know…and I will tell you what you _wish_ to know. Don't forget, however…that _I'm_ not the one at my captor's mercy here."

Sakura gulped, in spite of herself. He had said that with an almost _saccharine_ intonation. It sent shivers up and down her spine. She mentally calmed herself. Undoubtedly, they simply needed information on some inane things, and then she would be let free. It was textbook from the academy. Give your captors only enough to secure your release, and no more. Information is more important than your life, in some cases. She hoped this was not one of them

She still felt numb.

Rouhi put on his most charismatic smile…which utterly failed to evoke any sort of comfort in the girl. "Now…what, approximately, would you say Naruto's skill level is at?"

Sakura's gaze didn't waver, though she wondered why he would ask such a thing. She figured that it was an inane question as any…it wouldn't hurt to answer it. "…he's powerful. I'm not…really sure _how_ powerful, though. We're…not exactly the best of friends."

Rouhi's smile faltered slightly. Sakura wondered just why. "…not the best…of friends, you say? That's…most intriguing. I was under the impression that he was infatuated with you."

Sakura mentally cursed. She had given more information away than she had meant to. Or rather…he had more information than she thought he did. Sighing, she figured that it wasn't exactly the biggest secret in the world that Naruto and she had had a…falling out.

"He used to be. Not anymore." Nevertheless, she decided to keep it brief.

The man's smile vanished completely. "I see…well, that is most unfortunate. You see, we picked you specifically as 'bait', based on the facts presented to us that stated that he was infatuated with you. If that is no longer the case…then perhaps you are not the most opportune bait."

Sakura almost felt a sense of relief flood through her. Who knew that a lack of relationship with Naruto would one day earn her freedom from capture? She could only barely repress a smile.

Rouhi simply smiled…it seemed utterly fake to her eyes, however. "Most unfortunate indeed."

He stood and leaned heavily on his cane. His face became impassive, and he turned his back on Sakura, heading once more for the door without so much as a backwards glance.

Sakura was confused. Wasn't this the part where he was supposed to let her go…or at least untie her? "…hey, wait! Doesn't that mean you'll let me go? Can I at least get these ropes untied? Hey!"

He stopped and turned his head ever so slightly, so that Sakura could see his eyes. They were cold and hard.

"Oh, no. It simply means that your usefulness to us has diminished. You will simply _have_ to do as bait…but your safety…and comfort…are now no longer my concern. I'm afraid that this will most likely be the last time we meet. You'll understand…nothing personal, of course. This is simply how the ninja world works."

The door opened in front of him as Sakura's slack-jawed expression met his back. He calmly walked out of the room, and the metal door slammed shut behind him.

Sakura still felt numb…even more so than before. It was a horrible, gnawing numbness that seemed to eat away at her very core. The implications of what the old man had said…

The door opened once more. A man with a nondescript face came in with a small pair of scissors. His face was impassive. He walked up to the thoroughly stunned Sakura and clipped off her bindings, 'accidentally' catching her smock in the process. Even when she was laid partially bare before him, she didn't flinch. She still felt…stunned. Cold. _Numb_.

The man leered for a few moments. "You're a sight for sore eyes, pinky. I'll be back later…when the boss ain't guarding the front door."

He sauntered out of the room. Sakura still felt numb. She didn't even register what the man had said.

She wasn't useful to her captors. She was just a girl, captured, alone and weak at her captor's mercy. And that captor no longer cared what happened to her. She had no one near her that cared about what happened to her. She was _alone_, in the worst possible way.

Her face still registered nothing but shock. Her body wouldn't move. She could barely form cogent thoughts. They tried to prepare Kunoichi for this possibility in the academy…but it had been one of the few subjects she had never paid attention to.

For almost an hour after the man left, she did nothing but sit on her bed.

But her eyes spilled tears freely.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto flinched.

Shino and Kiba would be easy enough to take care of. Remove the septic blood that was in their wounds, set the bones, and they'd heal naturally over the course of a few weeks to a month with some general chakra enhancement.

Kurenai was a whole different story.

He sighed as he knelt at Kurenai's side. Anko had been fervent that Naruto take a look at her _first_, as opposed to fixing the others. The reason was obvious. The woman was missing her entire left arm from the shoulder down. Even if he were to find her arm and try to reattach it, the blood in the arm would be clotted, and the process of decay would be too far along to stop. It'd be like trying to reattach a steak back to the cow it originally came from.

But…there was another possibility. It would just hurt like hell.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he took a deep breath. "Anko-san…I cannot reattach her arm. I'm sure you already knew that. Other than her missing limb, however, she is in fairly good shape."

Anko deflated visibly. Naruto supposed that she had been holding out a smidgen of hope of getting her arm reattached. He smiled only slightly. He could do the next best thing, at least.

Setting his face into one of determination, he glanced up at Anko. "I _can_, however, re-grow it."

Anko's head snapped up. The black-haired woman's eyes widened. The old man nearly choked on the sake he had been downing. The kid…well, he just kept on sleeping with his head on his mom's thigh.

"Wh…what? Re-grow her arm? How…how can you possibly re-grow an entire limb with medical ninjutsu?" Anko seemed perplexed, hopeful and incredulous at the same time. She wasn't acting at all like her normal bad-ass self.

Naruto looked back at Kurenai's stump. "The ability to produce medical chakra is the basis of all medical ninjutsu, right? Well…imagine if you produced medical chakra with _that_ chakra…that only I have access to."

Anko's face was still for a moment before her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape. "You…you can do that?"

Naruto simply nodded.

The purple headed Jounin remained astonished looking. Naruto absently noticed that the black-haired girl and her father looked incredibly confused, but they didn't seem to be itching to ask any questions. He couldn't help but sigh a little in relief.

He turned back to look at Anko, who was still astonished. "There is…a drawback, however."

Anko's eyebrows immediately knit into a concerned expression. "Drawback?"

Naruto sighed once more. "Yeah. The drawback is that I will be in _a lot_ of pain. I can only sustain it for about fifteen to twenty seconds before the impurities from _that_ chakra start to bombard my body. It's almost like unleashing an extremely virulent poison or nerve agent directly into my bloodstream. I can still keep it going after the pain starts, but I can almost guarantee that I'll pass out afterwards. I'll effectively be out of action for a while until I can clear out the impurities."

She seemed to look almost empathetic for a moment. Naruto noted that she flinched ever so slightly when he had mentioned impurities. He filed that away for later thought.

Standing, he walked over to where Shino and Kiba's prone forms lie. Anko followed him after a moment. Naruto sat down right in between both of them, facing Kiba first.

"Before I work on her, I need to get these two fixed up. It shouldn't take that long." He brought his hands out and put them over Kiba's torso, and green healing chakra flowed out of them. Naruto's brows knit in concentration, and he seemed to be wholly focused on the task of healing his fallen comrade.

Anko nodded. Her voice came out a bit softer than usual. "I understand. Once you're done healing these two, give yourself a break for a while before you heal Kurenai…and then once you're done with her, I'll see to it that you're taken care of while you're passed out. It's the least I can do for you helping my friend in such a way."

Naruto stopped for a moment and threw a grin at Anko. She returned it with a small smile.

"I appreciate that, Anko-san…but I don't need to be taken care of. I need you to keep me awake, actually."

Her eyebrows rose.

Naruto once again focused on healing Kiba. "Once I pass out, I need you to wake me up however you can. Smelling salts, sternum rub, chakra to the spine…whatever you have to do to wake me up, do it. The only way to purge myself of the impurities is to flare my own chakra for however long it takes to burn them out. It'll be painful as hell to actually be awake, but otherwise, the impurities will just _sit_ there and fester."

She nodded briskly, her face showing a bit of empathy. "I got it. I have some smelling salts that I carry around…that should do the trick."

He nodded, still keeping his concentration on Kiba. He could feel that rib floating around in there…he was lucky it hadn't punctured his lung, or worse. He set to reattaching it by speeding up the calcification process on both ends.

Anko sat down to his right. She seemed to be studying what he was doing intently…even though he was sure she couldn't see a thing. He almost raised his eyebrow in confusion. She obviously had something else on her mind.

In reality, Anko was confused, perturbed, anxious and just a bit angry. Not at the situation as it was…rather…it seemed odd to her that _Naruto_ of all people would be a medic Nin. He had been subject to one of the worst childhoods that she could think of, and in many ways, he was like her. He seemed to be the _least_ likely of all people to be a medic Nin, based simply on the fact that he should _hate_ everyone.

It pissed her off, because he didn't seem to be at _all_ like her. She scowled. She kept herself focused on his hands, lest she give away her emotions. Instead, she decided to just ask the question.

"How did someone like _you_ become a medic Nin? I mean…medical Nin are supposed to be compassionate and caring and stuff, right? So, how does that work with _you_? You had a shitty childhood, the village treated you like garbage, and you never had _anyone_ really acknowledge you for being anything other than the fox until Iruka came along…by my estimation, you should _hate_ people and not give a shit what happens to anyone…and being a medic Nin is like…the exact opposite of that."

She kept her face impassive, but her clenched fists told that she was more than just a little bit emotional over the whole thing. Naruto wondered just _why_ she cared.

He sighed. He noticed that the black-haired woman and the old man were on the other side of the room, having some conversation about something. The kid was still asleep. Whatever he talked about wouldn't be overheard.

With a final burst of chakra, he set Kiba's rib in place. It wasn't perfect, but it would heal just about right in time. He set to work on a few of his less serious injuries.

"Honestly…it wasn't my choice. It's classified…but I have the ability to convert regular chakra into medical chakra via the use of a seal, rather than having to actually concentrate. I can use _that_ chakra with it too. It's not so much that I actually possess the capacity for care and compassion, so much as it's simply another ability that I can use. I'm sure that if I didn't have the ability to so easily convert chakra, I _wouldn't_ be a med Nin."

Anko looked at him suddenly, tearing her eyes away from his hands. She looked calculating.

"So, simply because you _can_, you _do_? That seems like a pretty shitty reason to be a medic Nin." She finally forced a smirk onto her face, feeling bits of herself returning to normal. This whole situation was fucked up…and it had caused her to be a bit more melancholy than normal.

Naruto shrugged noncommittally. "It's the reason for my whole life, really. Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi into me because he _could_. I was ostracized as a Jinchuuriki because the people of Konoha simply _could_. I became a ninja because I _could_…and I became a medic Nin simply because I _could_. It would be so much easier for me to simply _exist_ inside of Konoha's walls and never even use chakra, living my life as a regular civilian…but I've never been one to just _exist_. If I _can_ do something, there's a good chance that I _will_."

Anko's eyes took on a slightly softer quality, and she flinched just so slightly. "I…see. You just take the opportunities as they present them, then?"

Naruto finished healing over a small laceration and sighed. "Pretty much. I don't get many of them, so I kinda just have to grasp at the ones that life gives me. When the people where you live hate you for something out of your control, you have to make sure that anything good that happens to you is taken fully advantage of."

Not even sparing Anko a glance, he turned around and placed his hands over Shino, producing the green medical chakra again. He frowned. He knew that Shino was…different…but…with this physiology, he should be dead. As it was…were those _bugs_?!

While Naruto was dealing with trying to learn the physiological characteristics of an Aburame, Anko was thinking…very hard.

"_When the people where you live hate you for something out of your control, you have to make sure that anything good that happens to you is taken fully advantage of."_

She frowned, and subconsciously, her hand went to the back of her neck. Hate…for something out of your control. Oh, how she knew what that was like. Apparently…this kid did too. Her previous assumption that he was like her was more correct than she had thought. But…he also seemed to be much more…mature about it. Instead of lashing out at society in general, hating the world around him and acting like some insane nymphomaniac, he simply _understood_ that he was starting from a deficit, and made the best of it. Maybe he still harbored thoughts of revenge or hatred for those who hated him…but…wasn't acting on those, was he?

Anko almost scowled. Here she was, receiving pearls of wisdom from a twelve year old. A wise and weathered twelve year old, but…

She shook her head with a wry grin on her face. She would take whatever she could get, just like he said. It didn't do to be an arrogant asshole when you didn't have anything to be arrogant about.

Naruto huffed slightly, drawing Anko's attention back to him. She looked at him curiously.

"There isn't a damn thing I can do for Shino. He's healing much more quickly than a normal human should…almost as fast as I do…but it's not because of his metabolism or any form of stimulant…I think his bugs are actually fixing him from the inside. Although…they seem to be tired." Naruto held a perplexed expression on his face, and it made him look strangely fox like.

Anko grinned, her normal bravado returning full force. "Aburame's have _lots_ of bugs in them. Thousands. They help in everything from healing to sex, I'm sure."

Naruto snapped his head around, and if Anko didn't know any better, he seemed to almost turn green. "S-s-sex? Bugs, helping…in sex??!"

Anko guffawed loudly, catching the attention of the other occupants of the room, who simply looked at her warily. "Yeah! I mean, there was this one time that I got drunk in a bar, and I started hitting on this Aburame…I could tell from the sunglasses…and he was a bit drunk, right? So, he told me that he 'doesn't really ever get any' because of the bugs that live inside his body…which I already knew…but I asked him, 'So does that mean that you only have sex with other Aburame's?' and he said, 'No, the ones that actually do have sex with me never want another man…you'd be surprised what bugs can do."

At this, Naruto really _did_ turn green. Anko just grinned wider.

He turned back and looked at Shino, shuddering slightly. Putting his hand on top of Shino's stomach, he forced a bit of his own chakra into the boy's coils. The bugs in his system hungrily lapped it up, and as expected, when he checked using his medical chakra, he was healing faster than before. He stood and gave Anko a wary glance.

"Remind me never to ask you about anything regarding sex. Ever." He walked over to the door that led out to the pier and unceremoniously threw it open, staggering outside and dry heaving into the lake. Killing mercenaries and bathing in their blood was nothing, he decided. Imagining an Aburame having sex, on the other hand, had to be one of the most disgusting things he had ever put through his mind.

Anko just kept grinning.

"Naruto…what's wrong?"

He sputtered and spun around to see Iruka standing on the same pier he was on. He looked like he had been through a minor skirmish, but nothing more. He was looking at Naruto rather concernedly.

Naruto leaned up against the side of the house and gave Iruka a small smile. "Anko was telling me about Aburame's…and sex. That's what's wrong."

Iruka's eyes widened for a moment, before they settled themselves into an amused stare. "You can kill people, but you throw up when you think of Aburame's having sex?"

Naruto scowled childishly. "Just imagining all those bugs…all those…bugs…"

He promptly shuddered.

Iruka simply laughed, while sauntering up to Naruto and giving him a clap on the shoulder. "You'll get over it."

Naruto gave Iruka a look that clearly said 'Like hell!'

He had the audacity to laugh…again.

Iruka shook his head at Naruto's antics, and walked into the house, giving Anko a small nod. Anko gave Iruka a leering smile. It was his turn to shudder this time.

It was then that he noticed Kurenai's arm.

Before he could say anything, Anko stood and shushed him. "Don't worry about that. Naruto said that he can re-grow it with _that_ chakra. I don't really get it myself, but I'm sure he can do a lot of things that we would think impossible."

Iruka kept staring at Kurenai's stump, but nodded nonetheless, a small smile on his face. "Naruto is a walking talking impossibility with blonde hair. I tend to agree with you."

Anko chuckled heartily, patting Iruka on the head like a child. Iruka gave her a petulant expression in return, before his eyes went wide and he blushed slightly. Anko just winked at him and sauntered away.

Iruka rubbed his butt. That pinch had hurt.

After a few minutes of relative silence, interrupted only by the old man and the black haired lady talking, Naruto re-entered the abode and knelt next to Kurenai, Iruka and Anko on Kurenai's other side. Anko had filled Iruka in on just what Naruto had told her, and Iruka had asked to be the one to administer the smelling salts to the boy, when he passed out. He figured that waking up in pain was bad enough…but waking up in pain to an unfamiliar face would be even worse.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. Kyuubi was still wrapped securely around his neck, but he could feel her mental support.

'**_I'll do what I can to dull the pain receptors in your brain…I won't be able to do much, but it's better than nothing.'_**

Naruto gave Kyuubi the mental equivalent of a smile. _'Thanks. See if you can't keep me from passing out, too…although, I'm not expecting miracles in that department.'_

Kyuubi mentally nodded, and Naruto steeled himself. Putting his hands above Kurenai's shoulder, he began to focus…

"Oi, what are you doing?"

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he looked over at the pier doorway to see a slightly scratched up Sasuke standing there with a curious, yet strangely impassive expression adorning his visage. Naruto just grumbled.

"Fixing up Kurenai's arm. Naruto here said he can re-grow the thing." Anko motioned Sasuke over to join them, kneeling at Kurenai's side. Sasuke obliged, and his eyes widened when he saw that Kurenai was missing an arm. He promptly sat down cross-legged at her feet, and gave Naruto a goading look that just _begged_ him to mess up, so that Sasuke could get him for it later. Of course, they both knew that it was just Sasuke's way of encouragement. Newly formed friendship or not, they were still very much…sibling like.

He refocused on Kurenai's shoulder. Closing his eyes again, he mentally called up Kyuubi's chakra into his own reserves, and then directed it towards the seal.

Immediately he could feel a massive buildup of medical chakra in his coils. He directed all of it towards his hands, and focused it all towards Kurenai's shoulder.

The chakra almost literally exploded outwards from his hands, the dark green color seemingly flowing like a torrent into Kurenai's body. After only a few seconds, the beginnings of the arm began to re-grow and reshape, the bone growing outwards first, followed by the musculature, the tendons and finally the dermis and epidermis, layering upon each other at the joint.

But Naruto could feel something was off. Even though the arm was growing…it was almost at the middle of her upper arm already…it wasn't being fed by her own body. The arm itself was being sustained only by virtue of his chakra being flooded into it. He frowned. The arm was growing…it was connected to the body…it was obviously healthy…

He felt like smacking himself. He had completely forgotten to remove the clotting in the woman's arm first, and even though the nerves were connecting, as were the bits of tissue, blood wasn't flowing into the arm. Undoubtedly, the subclavian artery on the left side had dried up and stopped flowing normally during the time she had been sans arm…and even though the body was receiving a new one, clotted blood wouldn't allow regular blood to flow into the arm.

Naruto felt the beginnings of pain begin to assault him. It wasn't much…a stinging sensation at best…but it was building. He needed to remove the clot before the pain hit, or he would not be able to concentrate enough to actually perform the procedure. Wracking his brain, he tried to figure out a quick and easy way to remove the clot without having to resort to simply doing the procedure _later_…which would defeat the whole purpose of _this_ procedure.

It clicked. Right now, he was just focusing healing chakra into Kurenai's arm and shoulder joint…if he stopped focusing it…and just let it _flow_…the chakra would dissolve the clot normally. It would mean that he would have to use even _more_ chakra, but he didn't have much of a choice.

Gritting his teeth and clenching his eyes shut, he opened the floodgates, and felt Kyuubi's chakra inundate the medical seal. The pain was immediate. Every nerve ending in his body screamed electrical signals to his brain telling him to stop…the seal burned on his belly…and without even realizing it, he began yelling in pain at the top of his lungs.

Nevertheless, he continued. The forest green chakra enveloped every part of Kurenai's body, and even the most miniscule of cuts or bruises on her pale skin began to heal effortlessly. A few hairline fractures in her femur mended together in seconds, scars from previous battles disappeared under new flesh, and most importantly, the clot completely dissipated, allowing blood to flow into the now almost complete new appendage.

Forcing his eyes to open, he saw the arm regenerated down to the wrist, and the hand was beginning to take shape. Blood vessels throbbed underneath the skin, new muscle and tendon structure flexed in spasm, nerve endings began finding their paths to the brain, and bones hardened and solidified.

The pain only increased. He continued to yell, and it took every bit of self control he had to stop from thrashing around on the ground. His seal felt almost like a branding iron, his skin hurt when air moved over it, his muscles screamed, his body _cried out_ for him to simply _stop_…but he kept going. He was almost there.

Looking on, the other occupants of the room cringed and looked on in empathy. The scream of the boy was more than enough to tell them how much pain he was in. It was diaphragmatic and guttural at the same time, and it seemed to echo off the walls. The boy, who was clutching his mother for dear life, looked on in horror. Why would someone go through so much pain, just to help someone else? He was almost like…

Naruto grit his teeth hard enough to break a molar. Looking down, he saw a fully formed, fully functional arm hanging at Kurenai's side. Without even thinking about it, he completely stopped his chakra flow, both Kyuubi and otherwise.

And he collapsed.

----------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi had seen something like this before. More than once, actually.

Where something just _stops_, inevitably, something went wrong. In this case, Kakashi was almost positive that Sakura had been absconded with.

His visible eye narrowed. She hadn't been kidnapped by mercenaries. The fact that he had killed the last remaining ones in Sakura's district without so much as a whisper of information on the girl was proof enough. They hadn't seen her. They weren't even aware of her. The only ones that had been aware of her presence were currently lying dead with various Kunoichi-inflicted kunai wounds.

This left only a few possibilities. Firstly, and most likely, the ninjas that Kurenai and her team had faced had taken her. Their purpose for doing such a thing was questionable, but considering that they were the only _confirmed_ ninja in the area, they were the most likely culprits.

Secondly…and perhaps just as likely…there was something _else_ going on. They _had_ been briefed that there were sporadic and unconfirmed sightings of other ninja in the area…and this served to heighten that suspicion. More than that, if it _had_ been the original ninjas, then the motive would have been even more questionable, considering that they already had Hinata. Having _another_ Genin Kunoichi didn't make much sense.

Perhaps there was more than one faction at work here. Gato and his nukenin hires were the most _obvious_ faction…but…

He scowled. No matter who else was at work here, the fact remained that both teams were now down a Kunoichi. They now had rescuing Hinata _and_ Sakura as main priorities.

He turned on his heel and started to make his way back to the impromptu base. Many different scenarios played themselves out in his head, all of them involving a head on assault and extraction on Gato's base. If they truly had hired ninja working for them, other than the original nukenin, then sneaking into the base would be nigh an impossibility. The only thing that would work is a full on assault…and luckily enough, they probably had the manpower to pull it off.

Kakashi didn't like 'probably'.

---------------------------------------------------------

This time, she kept quiet.

The guards thought she was unconscious. As long as she kept still like this, they would continue to think that. And she was free to lie, and listen.

And activate her Byakugan.

If any one good thing had come out of any of this, it was that she could now activate her Byakugan without hand seals. She had simply _forced_ chakra to her eyes for a good portion of the last day, and finally, only about a half hour earlier, they had activated. She could see beyond her blindfold now, and through the walls that surrounded her. She could also see the extent of her predicament.

The room she was in looked damp and dark. It was surrounded on all sides by thick concrete, and a thick metal door was the only form of ingress or egress that presented itself. There was a large metal loop embedded into the concrete floor that attached to a chain that attached to her neck, and from what she could see, it was draining her chakra down into the ground, much like an electrical circuit. Her hands and arms were tied very tightly to her almost-naked torso, and her legs were bound tightly together, attached to a chain that was attached once again to the metal loop.

It seems as though they had left only her underwear and bra on. Other than that, she was completely stark naked. It would have brought a terribly bright blush to her face, if the implications weren't so dire.

As it was…she was completely helpless. Her fingers were tied together, so she couldn't form hand seals…and she barely had enough chakra to keep her Byakugan active. She couldn't move more than a few feet in any direction because of the chains, and she couldn't really move that well anyway, due to the fact that her arms and legs were immobilized.

Not for the first time that day, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

She was completely and totally without any means of freeing herself. More than that…she had seen some of the guards talking earlier in the day, and from what little skill she had in lip reading, she had been able to discern a word that had made her go rigid with fear.

'…_Kumo…'_

It shouldn't surprise her, really. She had been captured by mercenaries…and it was no secret that Kumo had their sights set on the Byakugan bloodline limit. Undoubtedly, Gato would sell her to the cloud for a high price, and she would be used by them as a breeder or more likely, as simply an experiment. They would extract her DNA, probably carve out her eyes, and then she would be discarded as so much trash. It was almost a comfort to know that her suffering would end once her usefulness ended.

Tears streamed into her blindfold, dampening them considerably. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Nothing was going right. First Naruto had taken _pity_ on her, then she had avoided him, and now she would be sold off to Kumo, never to see him again. She barely even entertained the thought of being rescued at this point. Undoubtedly, Naruto had better things to do than rescue some weak girl like her. Or, if he did come, it would just be out of pity again. She choked back a sob.

Suddenly, her Byakugan picked up something. There was a familiar chakra signature on the other side of the compound…it was faint, even more so than her own…

Focusing, she willed herself to see further than she had before. Her sight blurred slightly, and dimmed, but eventually, she was able to force enough chakra to her eyes to be able to see.

She gasped. That was…it couldn't be…Sakura?

The girl was sobbing, much as she had before. She was only slightly more clothed than Hinata was, but she was much less restrained, only being held by a chain connecting her feet to the floor. It was draining her chakra, same as it was hers.

Hinata could feel only the slightest pangs of hope enter her. If Sakura was here…then Naruto…Naruto was here! He had come! She might yet be rescued!

But…Sakura was here too. Would he only come for Sakura, and not her? Naruto was still infatuated with her…wasn't he? So, he would come for Sakura only, and she would just be a side project. He would feign kindness again, and take pity on her…

This time, she couldn't choke back a sob. She was a weight to Naruto. Perhaps…perhaps this was all for the best…

Focusing still on Sakura's room, she noticed that there was a man coming up to the door. He was large and muscular, and he had a short conversation with the guard at the door before him…and the guard…both entered. Sakura immediately backed up to the corner of the room as much as she could, but the men seemed to be conversing with each other…before…

She gasped. They were taking off their clothes…they meant to…oh no. They were going to…

Before the first man could fully unclothe, a small explosion rocked the complex.

---------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I'm horrible. To leave you guys on such a cliffhanger…

Sigh. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out more quickly than this one. I make no promises, but…oye. I already explained my reasons for this one.

I have a complaint. The manga stole my idea. I won't tell you which one, but I had an idea for a really cool bloodline ability, and in the past chapter or two, Kishimoto completely stole it. The smart ones of you can figure out what it is…and I still plan to use it…but damn it, Kishi STOLE MY IDEA! THE BASTARD! BLARGH!

Ahem. I'm alright. Really.

As always, your reviews give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Until next time.

**Note from my Beta, ****Islagatt:** so what if fuck face I assume he means Kishimoto steals your ideas, canon is crap anyway... GODDAMN YOU AND YOUR LONG CHAPTERS! HAVE YOU NO PITY FOR YOUR BETA???

I responded with an evil laugh. I am Thundereaper, great torturer of betas. Hate me, loathe me, and write in an unsightly way…and when you have the same chapter length as me, then come and face me.

Bwehehehehehe.


	11. Encounters of Destiny

Welcome, y'all, to the 11th chapter. Keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.

First and foremost…by all accounts, this thing should not have been published this early, but I kinda got on a writing spree, and decided to just go all out. The whole reason why this thing SHOULDN'T be out this early is because my basement flooded, and I had to spend a few days getting that fixed up and cleaned up. Ugh. It was horrible.

Ever try to get a floor drain open with just a vice grips and a hammer?

Anyway, enough about that. I just wanna say, before you go reading this thing…that I believe existence is boring, and therefore, I'm substituting my own and making some bastardized amalgam of theory, faith, legend, myth and history. I kinda like it. My theory of existence is certainly less boring than most.

I just didn't want you to think I was pushing anything on you. You'll understand what I mean later on.

As always, Naruto is not mine. As far as I'm concerned, canon Naruto belongs to Hinata. You just _know_ Hinata wants Naruto for his Kage Bunshin ability.

Ever thought about what Kage Bunshin would do with sex? Yeah. That's why Hinata loves Naruto.

**Islagatt: Actually I think she wants him for his ability to make those chakra 'tails' he manifested during the chuunin third stage... Come on, she doesn't want a gangbang, she wants tentacles. Tentacles make everything better.  
**

...Indeed.**  
**

On with the story.

----------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------

"You think she'll be alright?"

_I wasn't strong enough…_

"Yeah…she's a tough chick, even if she doesn't look it. Besides…it's not like she has any injuries anymore."

_Hinata…Kiba…Shino…you all tried your best…didn't you…?_

"To be honest…I'm more worried about Naruto. Even after purging himself, he still passed out again…it can't take _that_ much out of him, can it?"

_I just wasn't enough…I was outclassed…am I really cut out to be a Jounin?_

"You'd be surprised. _That_ chakra is both a blessing and a curse."

_No…I shouldn't be their sensei…I shouldn't even be here. I should have turned around and gone home at the first sign of trouble…and now…Hinata…_

Kakashi plopped down on the floor and leaned against the wall. He felt tremendously tired. Iruka and Anko were both leaned up against the opposite wall, and the regular denizens of the house were currently in the kitchen making dinner.

Sasuke was leaning up against the wall directly to the left of Naruto, who was passed out. All present were very much exhausted.

The cyclopean Jounin simply sighed. "At the moment…our first priority should be figuring out a way of finding both Hinata and Sakura. Whoever took Sakura was clever enough to erase their scent trails behind them…and I don't have a clue where to start in tracking Hinata. We also have to keep in mind that we are still tasked with protecting Tazuna and his family by proxy…so either myself or Anko need to be guarding him at any given time."

Anko nodded while picking her teeth with a senbon. "I'll guard the old man. You're needed to track Sakura and Hinata anyway. I assume that you're gonna have Iruka guard the house?"

"Yeah. It makes the most sense. Once Naruto wakes up, I'll need both him and Sasuke to help me in tracking and hopefully extracting both of the girls. Although…" Kakashi uncharacteristically yawned deeply. Without consent, Iruka, Kurenai and even Sasuke yawned as well. The damned things were contagious.

Kakashi smirked slightly under his mask. "We should all get some rest. It's been a rough twenty four hours. I'll take first watch, followed by Anko, Iruka and then Sasuke. If Naruto wakes up, let him know the rotation."

_I'm being protected again. I hate that. I _hate_ that._

"No."

All present turned in shock to see a slightly disoriented and confused Kurenai steady herself on her hands and sit up, grunting slightly while doing so. She leaned up against the back wall right next to Kakashi and shook her head slightly to clear it, before looking back up.

"I'll take watch all night. I've been asleep for a while, I'm guessing…so I'll –"

"Kurenai-chan!"

Kurenai let forth a small 'oomph' sound as she was glomped fiercely by a happy-looking Anko. Said woman was currently rubbing her cheek on Kurenai's bosom.

She couldn't help but smile and even giggle slightly. Anko always acted like a child when she was happy. She patted Anko's head in a condescending manner, causing Anko to simply look up at her and grin widely, much like a child might.

"I'm happy to see you too, Anko…but could you please stop rubbing between my breasts?"

Anko's grin didn't fade. "No!"

Kurenai simply scowled petulantly at her and bopped her on her head, causing Anko to cry fake tears and retreat to the other side of the room. She smirked and shook her head. So much for _that_ bad mood.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and eye-smiled at her. "I'm glad you're awake, Kurenai-san. We can use all the help we can get."

The red-eyed beauty flinched, falling back into a depressed state again. "I…don't know exactly how much help I'll actually be. A one armed ninja isn't much use in a fight."

She dropped her head morosely. She could still feel the phantom pain in her limb, almost like it was still there. Subconsciously, she brought her right hand over to rub her stump.

And froze.

That was no stump.

She looked up with astonishment to see a smirking Anko and a proud looking Iruka staring back at her. Cautiously, hoping against hope that it wasn't just a hallucination, she looked down at her left arm.

It was there. From the shoulder down…it was _her_ arm. A bit atrophied and paler than her other one…but…

She flexed her left hand and fingers and brought them up to her face, wiggling them for good measure. A huge grin broke out on her face.

"How? How on earth did you manage to put my arm back on? This…this is impossible!"

A chuckling Iruka simply pointed over towards a passed-out Naruto, who was currently drooling slightly on his makeshift pillow. A red fox lay on his stomach, and he was sprawled like a rag doll across the floor, tangled in his blanket, very much the picture of a lanky teenager. Her grin widened, but her confusion remained.

"I'm not sure of the specifics, but apparently he can make medical chakra out of his…special…chakra and use it to regenerate almost any injury. Poor kid was in a world of pain for a while because of it though. He passed out…again…about fifteen minutes or so before you woke up." Anko's smirk was still firmly in place.

Her eyes widened, and her grin dropped. So…Naruto had _regenerated_ her arm? This wasn't her old arm; the one that had been cleaved off by Momochi Zabuza…this was an entirely new appendage?

She glanced back over at the sleeping blonde, and felt her respect for the boy rise considerably…as did her gratitude. She immediately began thinking of ways she could thank the boy. He had effectively given her ninja life back to her.

She sobered immediately. _That is…if I'm still even cut out to _be_ a ninja._

Shaking herself, she set her eyes on Kakashi. "How long have I been out?"

Kakashi tapped his chin for a moment before replying. "I'd say…about two days, probably a little bit more. Naruto healed you completely about a half hour ago, otherwise you probably would have been out for weeks."

Kurenai's eyes widened even further than before. Naruto had healed her _that_ much? She was thankful for the arm itself, but…she'd only been out for two days because of his healing? Her respect for the boy rose higher.

Steeling herself once again, she remembered Hinata. She had been captured. If she had only been out for two days…then Hinata still had a chance. She also realized that she had no idea what state the rest of her team was in.

Glancing over at where Shino and Kiba lay, she let out a small sigh of relief. Both were breathing steadily, and they looked to be much more recovered than they had been when they had been brought in. Even Akamaru looked better than before.

She felt a stab of guilt in her heart. They wouldn't even be this injured if she had been better. If she hadn't been so weak. If she had made the _right_ decision.

Clearing his throat, Kakashi brought Kurenai back into awareness. "If you don't mind…all of us are a bit unclear on just what happened to cause all of this. We got your missive regarding Zabuza and his apprentice…but that's about the extent of what we know, other than the fact that the enemy is Gato."

She nodded. Taking a deep breath, she called up her memories of the event.

"_Kurenai-sensei…something smells wrong."_

_A bark from Akamaru confirmed the boy's observation._

_Kurenai turned around and raised an eyebrow at Kiba, before glancing over at Hinata. Hinata took the subtle clue and formed the ram seal, quietly exclaiming 'Byakugan!' in the process._

_When Hinata tensed, she took it as a bad sign. Before she could even pull out a Kunai, a whistling sound could be heard in the air, and not even a second later, a tremendously large zanbato came flying down through the trees towards their little group._

"_Down!"_

_Luckily for all involved, they did just that. Shino grabbed the back of Tazuna's jacket and literally dragged him down, and Kiba dived on Hinata along with Akamaru, making the head-cleaving sword narrowly miss them. Kurenai simply ducked, allowing her superior ninja training to kick in._

_Kurenai swiveled on her heel and turned towards where the sword had embedded itself in a tree, kunai at the ready. What she saw made her eyes widen slightly._

_A shirtless man in grey camouflage pants with bandages wrapped around his face was literally standing on his sword, supported by the tree. His hitai-ate was scratched through, marking him as a missing Nin. The symbol could _just_ be made out to be one from Kiri._

_This man was in the bingo book. Kurenai was sure of it. Being that she was a new Jounin, she had been allowed access to the higher-class Nin portion of the bingo book only months before…and she had studied it in length._

_Her eyes narrowed. "Momochi Zabuza, A-ranked missing Nin of Kiri."_

_The bandaged man gained a gleam in his eyes. He crouched down on his sword and gave Kurenai a pointed and somewhat lecherous stare. "Oh, what a serious tone to use, Onna-san. I'd be more intimidated, though…if you weren't so gorgeous."_

_Her eyes narrowed even further. "What are you doing here? What is your purpose in attacking me and my team?"_

_Zabuza simply snorted in amusement. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to kill that old man behind you. I have no grudge against you, Onna-san. You and your brats can leave and I won't kill you."_

_Kiba took the opportunity to show off some bravado. "Kill _us_? What do you take us for! We're ninja of Konoha, you piece of shit!"_

_Kurenai risked a look behind her. "You three, surround and protect Tazuna. I'll take this one. He's way out of your league."_

_Kiba scowled and gave Kurenai a petulant look. "Are you kidding? I could handle this guy with my eyes closed!"_

_She let forth a small 'tch'. Kiba was too arrogant for his own good. She would have to forcibly remind them just who was in charge._

"_Kiba! You will do what I say! You three will surround and protect Tazuna! Do I make myself clear?"_

_All three Genin recoiled slightly in shock at hearing their sensei so serious. Kiba just nodded. Within seconds, all three Genin were standing in front of Tazuna, kunai drawn. Shino had various bugs crawling over his skin, clearly anxious…Hinata's Byakugan was active, and Kiba's dog, Akamaru, was directly to Kiba's right, growling away._

_Kurenai turned her attention back to Zabuza, who was still just sitting on his sword, an amused glint in his eyes._

"_I cannot let you harm Tazuna-san. To do so, you'll have to get through _me_."_

_Zabuza had the audacity to chuckle. "An easy enough prospect, Onna. I can tell already…you're not up to my level. Maybe if you were ANBU, you'd stand a chance, but as it is…"_

_He stood abruptly and pulled his sword out from the tree, landing on the ground with a small but deft leap._

"_You cannot possibly hope to defeat me, onna. I don't usually make a policy of hurting or killing women…but if you fight me, I guess I won't have a choice, will I?" Zabuza rested his massive sword on his shoulder and placed his other hand on his hip, giving Kurenai a side profile view of the man she would be fighting._

_Kurenai's face gained a determined quality, and her eyes gained an edge. This kind of man was the worst. The ones that believed that no woman could ever match them in power, and viewed them as simply objects or dainty little things to be protected. The bile rose in her throat, and her grip tightened on her kunai._

_Seeing this, Zabuza simply sighed. "I guess I don't have a choice, then. When you're on the ground dying, just remember, I gave you a choice."_

_Zabuza vanished from view. Kurenai's eyes widened slightly. Before she could even ask the question, a timid yet firm voice piped up behind her._

"_Sensei…above!"_

_If it weren't against so many precepts of morality and law, she could almost kiss the girl._

_Zabuza's massive zanbato crashed into the ground just in front of her, as she completed her backwards roll. Cocking her arm back, she threw her Kunai forcibly at the masked Nin. Immediately afterwards, she went into hand seals._

_Stopping on her last hand seal, she simply pushed the chakra outwards._

_She smirked as she saw Zabuza's eyes go slightly wide. Even her own team was astonished. They began looking in every direction, confused, as did Zabuza._

_The Jutsu was a creation of her own design, and it didn't even have a name yet. It affected all minds within a certain radius and made her literally vanish from sight in a spiral of distorted space. Once affected, target minds had to be very strong, or very good at dispelling Genjutsu to release themselves. Otherwise, she would remain invisible to everyone around her…at least, until she reappeared using her next technique._

_Walking relatively slowly so as to not make any noise, she circled around Zabuza while doing other hand seals. Zabuza had brought up his sword into a guarded position and was currently looking in every direction desperately, cursing every once in a while. Kurenai smirked. She would show him just how 'weak' women were._

"_Magen: Jubaku Satsu!"_

_She whispered the technique slyly into the wind, completing her circle around the confused and now frightened mist nukenin. Said Nin was currently unable to move, as he glanced upwards. Kurenai smirked wider. Tree-bind death was another Jutsu of her own creation…one saw themselves as bound to an amorphous tree that restricted all of their movement…and it was a simple matter for her to bind herself to the illusion and slip inside the target's defenses to slit their throat._

_Sneaking up on him, she intended to do just that. Binding herself to the illusion, she appeared out of the tree with a kunai in hand, putting it to the Nukenin's throat._

_Smirking, she pressed a bit harder with her Kunai. "_This_ is what a woman can do."_

_She drew the kunai across the man's throat. His eyes went wide and he sputtered for a moment…before he smirked._

_And promptly turned into water._

_Kurenai immediately reacted, unbinding herself from the illusion and jumping away just in time to avoid another earth-shattering strike of the Nukenin's zanbato. She silently cursed to herself. She should have been able to see if it was a Mizu Bunshin. The fact that she hadn't spoke to the skill this Nin possessed._

_Zabuza pivoted on his heel, not willing to give Kurenai a single second's rest. He swung his massive sword with one hand in a cleaving arc towards Kurenai's midsection, and with a deft leap, she took to a nearby tree. Reaching into her shuriken pouch, she flung three of the spinning stars towards Zabuza and then jumped again, avoiding yet another strike of the zanbato._

_This allowed her shuriken an opening however, and they all struck true. This would have been tremendous, save for the fact that Zabuza once again turned into water._

_She dropped to the ground and began looking all around her. Obviously, this Nin was skilled at deception…his Mizu Bunshin were nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Cursing she brought up another Kunai._

_An echoing voice made itself present throughout the clearing. "That was good, Onna. I underestimated you slightly. Genjutsu specialists are a rare breed these days."_

_Kurenai noticed that the air had begun to thicken. Small water droplets began to appear in the air, and within seconds, the area was beginning to mist over like after a fall rain. She gripped her Kunai tighter._

"_Kirigakure no Jutsu. You can't cast Genjutsu on something you cannot see, right Onna? And by the time you _do_ see me…you'll already be…"_

_Kurenai felt a presence right behind her. She moved as quickly as she could before she felt a sharp and horrible pain go through her left arm._

"…_dead."_

_She screamed._

"_Kurenai-sensei! Kurenai-sensei, what's wrong? Where are you?"_

_She heard Kiba's loud shouting coming from within the mist as she lay on the ground in pain. She bit back another scream. Looking over at her arm, she expected to see a large gash, or perhaps a severed artery…_

_Her arm was laying three feet away from her. She noticed that her left shoulder was bleeding profusely. Spurts of blood accompanied every heart beat._

_Zabuza simply stood over her. The man had a completely impassive expression on his face, belying neither pleasure nor pain from his actions. He simply sheathed his sword on his back and turned around, heading towards where her team was._

_Her team…he was going after her team!_

_She didn't even give her arm a second thought. Her team was in danger._

"_Wa…wait! You aren't done…with me…yet…" She managed to sit up slightly with her right arm and bite out a few words before she fell once more onto her back. She cursed and tried once more to prop herself up._

_Zabuza stopped and turned around, giving Kurenai an _almost_ remorseful look. "I told you…when you're laying on the ground dying, just remember, I gave you a choice. You simply chose wrong."_

_He turned back around and began to disappear into the mist, heading for where Kiba was still shouting her name at full volume._

_She was desperate. It didn't matter if she died at this point…her team…they were in danger. She had to do something, anything…anything…_

_She thought back to a scroll she had read when she first became a Jounin. A Genjutsu that was not truly a Genjutsu…but a Genjutsu/Ninjutsu hybrid. It worked on much the same principals that most Genjutsu did, however this one used much more chakra, and affected parts of the brain that normally remained unaffected by Genjutsu. In effect…it caused your higher brain functions to simply _stop_. It _destroyed_ the target's mind. _

_The drawback was that it used an absolutely enormous amount of chakra, even for a Jounin. It was considered a Kinjutsu for that reason alone. Using this Jutsu was considered something that was done only as a last resort…as the Nin who used it would undoubtedly suffer chakra exhaustion, or perhaps even worse._

"_Kurenai-sensei! Damn it…Akamaru, where is she? Hinata, can you see her? DAMN IT! KURENAI-SENSEI!"_

_Steeling her resolve against the pain, she made up her mind._

_Forming a half-ram seal with her single hand, she tried to form the chakra for the Jutsu without hand seals. Manipulating chakra without hand seals was tremendously hard, but it was possible. By pure force of will, she was able to force the chakra to do what she wanted it to. Pressing her one hand outward towards the receding form of Zabuza, she muttered the Jutsu's name, activating it._

"_Kinjutsu: Zesshin no Jutsu: Totsu."_

_She felt it. The chakra was literally sapped from her body as the Jutsu activated, and she could feel the chakra mold outside of her body to create the hybrid Jutsu. Her vision got hazy._

_But it was still clear enough to see Zabuza stiffen for only a few moments, and then unceremoniously drop to the ground, presumably dead…or _brain_ dead as it were. A decidedly anti-climactic ending._

_She was just glad that it hadn't been yet another Mizu Bunshin._

_She slumped backwards and closed her eyes, the pain once again returning to her as the adrenaline started to wear off. She could still sense the warm blood cascading out of her left shoulder at the stump. She could feel herself getting lighter…almost feathery…things started to fade…she was overtaken by a serene sense of calm. She nearly smiled. So this was death. It didn't feel nearly as bad as she thought it would._

"_Kurenai-sensei! Oh shit…oh shit…what do we do? She's gonna die! Look at all that blood!"_

"_Kurenai…sensei…p-p-please don't die…"_

"_Calm down, both of you. Kiba, take off your jacket and use it to stop the blood flow, Hinata, reach into her shuriken pouch and find a blood pill."_

_Kurenai nearly raised an eyebrow…or would have, if her motor functions were…functional…Shino _never_ talked that much. She supposed that in situations like this, however, when a cool head was needed, he was the one to count on for taking action instead of panicking. _

_After a few moments of silence, she could hear two muttered acknowledgements. The sound of cloth rustling hit her ears, and she could feel Hinata fiddling with her Shuriken pouch. She nearly winced in pain as Kiba pushed his jacket onto her bare stump of an arm, but the pain was really nothing at this point. Everything was nothing. She would be passed out already if it weren't for her own stubborn will to live making her cling to consciousness._

_Gradually, she began to feel the blood stop coming out of her left arm. Kiba was pushing as hard as he could against her shoulder. After a few more moments, she could feel a small hand come up to her mouth and push something into it._

"_Ku-Kurenai-sensei…please ch-chew this. It's a blood pill."_

_With as much effort as she could muster, she clamped her jaw down on the pill and unceremoniously shoved it down her gullet._

_The effects were immediate._

_Her eyes shot open as her veins and arteries once again filled with blood. It was an almost painful sensation. She could feel her heartbeat return to normal, and as luck would have it, her stump was only bleeding a fraction of what it was before. _

_Blood pills worked by stimulating bone marrow to produce more blood. This had the unfortunate side effect of making the user slightly more brittle than they would be otherwise. Because of this, as Kurenai tried to get her right hand under her to push herself up, she could feel a bit of pain as smaller bones developed hairline fractures, and larger bones developed only slight stress fractures. In the long run, they were nothing…you got more fractures practicing taijutsu than you did from taking a blood pill…but they still hurt nonetheless._

"_Kurenai-sensei! Are you alright!"_

_She nearly groaned. "Kiba…I'm missing an arm. Do you think I'm alright?"_

_Kiba recoiled slightly from her barb and she realized immediately that they were frightened. Even Shino. Seeing someone like her…someone they _thought_ was strong getting so easily beaten must have been hard to watch. More than that…watching someone they cared about almost die…_

_She smiled warmly at Kiba and gave him a grateful and reassuring smile. "But…I'll live, thanks to you three. Thank you."_

_Kiba perked up quickly. He threw Kurenai a nervous yet happy smile. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Hinata was drying tears and smiling as well, and even Shino looked relieved, though you could barely tell it._

_She sighed. They would definitely have to signal for reinforcements now. She would be laid up for a long time to heal, and these three weren't nearly enough to protect him alone._

"_Kiba…Shino…mind giving me a hand up?"_

_Kiba and Shino both stopped what they were doing and simply nodded, coming to her side and hefting her up. She winced as she felt the bones in her legs and feet groan and crack only slightly._

_Nodding slightly, she turned to where Zabuza lay on the ground, eyes open and unseeing. He was breathing…barely…but he was obviously still alive._

_She grimaced. She was in no condition to even finish him off. She would have to ask one of her team to do the job. They were only Genin though…how could she ask them, in good conscience, to shove a kunai in a defenseless man's throat?_

_She supposed that they would have to kill at some point. And they _had_ wanted to continue this mission, even when she had said that it was no longer a C-rank. Maybe it was just their time to either grow up, or at least realize that the world wasn't as happy and bright as they thought it was._

_The one that would take it the best would be Shino._

"_Shino…I need you to do something."_

_She looked over at the somewhat emotionless boy and gave him a serious stare, causing his own impassivity to become even more pronounced. How impassivity could be 'pronounced' was something that was better left for another day._

"_I need you to go kill Zabuza. The Jutsu I used on him rendered him brain-dead for all intents and purposes, but it did not kill him. Unfortunately, I am in no condition to finish him off…and one of you needs to do the job for me. Shino, you're my first choice."_

"_That will not be necessary."_

_She whipped her head towards where the sound had come from, only to see what looked like a mirror made of ice melt back into water right in front of a very feminine looking boy. The only thing that signified him as such was his complete lack of breasts, but it was obvious enough._

_The boy had a blue kimono on, with a grey obi tied around the midsection. His hair was tied up in a decidedly feminine fashion on his head with red pins, and he wore a white undershirt that showed through at the neck._

_The most defining characteristic, however, was his white and red patterned mask that covered his face. It had the symbol of Kirigakure on it. She narrowed her eyes only slightly._

"_Hunter-san…just how long have you been there?"_

_The boy quirked his head ever so slightly. "I just got here, Shinobi-san. I apologize for not arriving sooner. However, it is unnecessary for your Genin charge to end this man's life. I shall take care of that."_

_Kurenai almost breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed that Shino, who moments before had been extremely tense, was now more relaxed. She gave him a slightly apologetic half-smile._

_She turned back to the hunter Nin who was currently drawing two deadly looking senbon, and studied him thoroughly. The boy certainly had the aura of a hunter Nin…and more than that, he even had the slender fingers needed to manipulate senbon properly._

_She noticed as he calmly slipped the two senbon into Zabuza's neck at a forty five degree angle from each other, and then watched as the nukenin tensed, before shuddering slightly and deflating. His chest did not rise again._

_The hunter Nin picked up the now dead Nin by his shoulder and slung his left arm over his own shoulders. Giving a slight nod to Kurenai, he formed another mirror and calmly stepped into it, vanishing from sight._

_This time, she really did sigh in relief._

_Before she could even tell what was going on, she felt herself being lifted up. Looking towards the person that was currently holding her, she saw spectacled glasses, white hair and teary eyes._

"_I…I'm so sorry. You…you almost died because of me and my stubborn ways. You…all of you…"_

_Tazuna, as she now realized, was crying. Openly. The man had a look of almost pure guilt written on his face. He was clutching Kurenai for all he was worth._

_The old man started forward, walking towards an unknown destination, Kurenai in his arms bridal style. The rest of her team followed blithely. The old man kept crying._

"_I…I'll take you four to my house. You can help your sensei recover there. You have done more than enough for me now. I'll manage without you. I want you to leave back for home whenever you get a chance."_

_Kurenai was almost tempted to agree, but then she remembered that they had taken this mission willingly._

"_No, Tazuna-san. We agreed to take this mission, even knowing the risks. We'll stick with it. I…_will_ be calling for reinforcements, however."_

_Kiba gave her a petulant glare. "No way, Kurenai-sensei! You may be hurt, but we can take care of anything that comes our way, now that the bandage-faced guy is dead. It's just bandits and mercenaries now, right?"_

_Kurenai sighed and returned Kiba's petulant glare with a serious one of her own. "Never underestimate your enemy. We don't know that those were the only Nin that they hired, and we don't know what else Gato has to throw at us. With me effectively out of commission…we _need_ reinforcements. It's not a slight against your skills, it's simply fact, Kiba. Don't let pride get in the way of duty or survival."_

_Kiba looked as though he wanted to protest once again, before his head shot up. Kurenai sensed it at about the same time. As a testament to their teamwork, Shino and Hinata both dropped into fighting stances along side him, and Tazuna increased his grip on Kurenai. She nearly scowled. She hated not being able to fight._

_Within seconds, they were upon the group. Grungy and filthy looking mercenaries with equally shoddy swords descended upon them in a wave, and Kurenai had to restrain the urge to curse. Even to a Genin, mercenaries were really nothing, but in such numbers, without her help, they could be a problem._

_Abruptly, right before they would have been in combat range, all of them stopped. She was confused until the middle of the small army of mercenaries parted to allow a small man in a black coat through. He had brown hair that was sticking up at all angles in an almost afro formation, and he wore dark spectacles not unlike the ones Shino wore. He held a decidedly _slimy_ feel to him that made Kurenai's skin crawl._

_The man laughed. "I see that Zabuza got at least some of it right. Oh well…a few brats and a cripple shouldn't be too bad to take out."_

_Kurenai's eyes narrowed. She brought her free hand up and formed a half-ram seal, creating the most rudimentary Genjutsu she could muster, considering that she had only enough chakra for perhaps _just_ that. The men surrounding them seemed to grow confused, and the man himself held an almost hollow look that suggested that he too was affected by the confusing Genjutsu._

_Shaking his head, he simply made a motion with his cane._

_The mercenaries attacked, although clumsily._

_Her students acted quickly. Hinata took up a position directly in front of her and Tazuna, while Kiba rushed into the throng with reckless abandon, his animalistic traits already manifesting with his family Jutsu. His dog, Akamaru, was enveloped in smoke for a moment, before he turned into a bestial clone of his master. Dog and boy began tearing a small swatch through the mercenary line._

_Shino on the other hand remained stock still. He simply stood where he was and glanced about, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. She was about ready to order him to join his teammates when his eyebrows shot up in something akin to fright._

"_Kiba! Come back! It's a trap!"_

_Before the last word was even out of his mouth, Kiba came sailing back towards them, landing roughly on his behind, his dog clutched in his arms. He looked dazed, and he had a small amount of blood trickling out of his mouth._

_The man, who seconds before had been confused, was now very much at attention. He held a malicious smirk on his face._

"_It took you long enough. I was beginning to wonder if you were even going to show."_

_A cloaked man walked out of the mercenaries and stood directly at the side of the diminutive man, followed by two more cloaked figures. They stopped and seemed to stare at Kurenai for a moment before the leader simply snorted._

"_We're not here to fight your battles for you. You know why we're here. Call off your dogs; we'll deal with the rest."_

_The short man seethed. "What??! This is my opportunity to crush these foolish wretches once and for all, and you would have me squander it?"_

_One of the cloaked men moved faster than Kurenai was able to track. Within moments, a wakizashi was held to the short man's throat._

"_We would have you do exactly as we ask, Gato-_san_. Your own petty concerns mean nothing to us. Besides, there _will_ be other opportunities."_

_A small bead of sweat made its way down Gato's face as he stared at the Wakizashi that was currently under his neck. With barely concealed contempt, he simply nodded carefully._

"_R-right. You men…return to the hideout. That's an order!"_

_The mercenaries looked confused. One shouted out of the crowd, "What's this all about, boss?"_

_Gato snarled and turned around, narrowly missing cutting his head off on the blade of the sword. "It doesn't matter! Just go! I pay you to follow my orders, now GO!"_

_After only a moment's hesitation, the mercenaries began to walk in the opposite direction, most of them grumbling incoherently or taking swigs from hidden casks. The few that Kiba had knocked unconscious were still laid out._

_Snarling again, Gato rounded on the cloaked figure that had made him dismiss his army. "Your superior will hear of this. Mark my words!"_

_Without further ado, Gato stomped off in the opposite direction, two mercenaries following him as bodyguards._

_Kurenai surveyed the scene with curiosity and just a bit of fear. These were no normal men. They were most likely ninja. She cursed under her breath. Just their luck to be hit with even _more_ ninja after she had been critically injured._

_The head cloaked figure simply looked at them._

_Kurenai opened her mouth to speak, but before even a word could leave her mouth, all three figures blurred and reappeared closer to them._

_She had seen what they had done, even if her team had not._

_Shino was the first to collapse. Blood sprayed from his injuries and his spectacles fell off his nose. With naught but a groan, he fell, unconscious._

_Kiba was the second. He and his dog both fell to the ground in much the same manner that Shino had, but with much less ado. He hadn't even had time to groan, as Shino had._

_Kurenai's eyes widened as she struggled against Tazuna's grasp. Inwardly, she seethed._

_Hinata, for whatever reason, had been left untouched._

_The leader walked up to them without a word. Hinata took up a defensive stance once again, which caused the leader to stutter step only slightly, before he once again blurred out of existence._

_Hinata fell unconscious, not a wound present on her body. The leader unceremoniously slung her limp form over his shoulder. Kurenai was simply too weak from adrenaline letdown and blood loss to do anything._

"_We will meet again. Were it not for my orders, I would kill all of you. Prepare yourself, however, as your death is near."_

_Without a sound, the leader chopped both her and Tazuna on the back of the neck. Her world faded to black._

Kurenai sighed as she recalled the events from memory.

"After that…I woke up here, after the town had sent out a small rescue party for us. I had just enough energy to write the missive, summon the pigeon, and place a rudimentary Genjutsu around the house before I passed out again. During that time, I realized that the hunter Nin that had supposedly killed Zabuza was most likely working for the man…seeing as how he did not dispose of the body at the scene, nor did he cut off Zabuza's head, as is customary. He most likely used some form of acupuncture to put him into a near-death state. That means that Zabuza is still alive somewhere…although, he's probably brain-dead."

Rubbing her left arm, her gaze fell to the floor. "I have no idea why they didn't kill us…and I have no idea why they took Hinata. All I know is that…whoever they are…they're good. They're ninja. And they're working with Gato…although I have no clue why."

Silence permeated the small room that they all shared. This was news indeed. There were other Nin working for Gato besides Zabuza and his apprentice. More than that…they had been given ample opportunity to kill Tazuna, Kurenai and her entire team…and they hadn't. There was something else afoot.

Kakashi just didn't know what it was…yet.

Sighing, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. This entire thing was becoming much more dangerous and much deeper the further they went. They had unknown ninja to deal with, they had two missing Kunoichi, they had an unaccounted-for nukenin duo, a city that was recovering from occupation, and only six ninja in battle ready condition. More than that, they really couldn't expect backup at any time. Kakashi stifled an exasperated chuckle. When life gives you shit…

Put it in a bag and set it on fire.

Standing, he walked over to Naruto. The boy was still out cold. Probably would be for most of the day. He had used a _large_ amount of chakra to heal Kurenai. More than that…he would have to ask Naruto to heal Kiba and Shino in much the same way as soon as he woke. They literally needed every hand they could get, and two Genin that were immobile and injured could become a liability.

He sighed again. It seemed that he was doing a lot of that these days. "Right then. For now…we can't worry about anything but getting some rest and making sure that this house is secure. Since Kurenai has volunteered to keep watch all night, we can all get some much needed rest and relaxation before the _real_ fun starts. We can do introductions and information gathering when we're all in a better condition to do so."

All parties that were currently awake nodded. Kakashi eye smiled and headed for the door, sliding it open ever so slightly, followed by the other occupants of the room, including Kurenai. They would have to bunk up in the few guest quarters that the family had. Iruka and Sasuke followed Kakashi into a room, while Anko took another, smirking silently that she got a room to herself. Kurenai simply headed outside and began stretching out from the long period of inactivity.

Kyuubi, who had been silently observing and listening, simply closed her fox eyes and drifted off into a relaxed, almost meditative state on top of Naruto's stomach. When Naruto awoke, which was whenever she decided to inject him with a small amount of her own chakra, she could fill him in. For now…the boy definitely needed his rest, as much as the rest of his team did. Another few hours, at least.

The boy twitched slightly in his sleep, muttering something that ended in 'chan' in a somewhat guttural way. Kyuubi inwardly chuckled. At least she had never muttered anything with 'Kun' in her sleep. That would be just humiliating.

Not that she hadn't ever _dreamt_ about such things. She inwardly smirked. Those had been some _nice_ dreams.

She drifted deeper into aware meditation, wondering just which 'chan' in his life he was referring to. She tried not to get her hopes up.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The kunai came down, missing the Nin by a hairs breadth, neatly clipping off strands of his dark black hair in the process. The kunai, however, was no longer connected to anything, as the Nin who had been wielding it was now dead on the ground, two slowly melting icicles sticking out of his throat.

The masked Nin twirled on the man's partner, finding the man going through quick hand seals. He grimaced. He didn't really have enough speed left to dodge.

The earth Jutsu hit him full on in the chest, throwing him back several feet and causing him to cough up small amounts of blood onto the forest floor. He looked behind him to check on his charge. Seeing Zabuza still staring blankly at the sky, a small smile came to his face, and he twirled on the Nin once more, senbon at the ready.

Only to see that there were now at least twenty five of them.

He quickly put away his senbon, picked up Zabuza, and began to _run_.

Luckily for him, it was at that point that his explosive note that he had planted on the bed back in the splintered building decided to explode. The building rocked as the force of the explosion was kinetically transferred throughout the mostly wooden complex.

Wooden shrapnel rained down on the assembled twenty five stone Nin in a hailstorm of splinters and spikes. Much to Haku's dismay, however, it didn't seem as if any were seriously injured.

It had still given him a head start.

A kunai whizzed by his ear, and a shuriken embedded itself in his back, hitting the thin but strong layers of armor underneath his battle kimono. Nevertheless, it stuck, and Haku was forced to stifle a cry.

How had things gone so horribly wrong? One moment, he was simply tending to Zabuza's wounds as best he could, and the next, the stone Nin had appeared and literally blown both of them out of the room. It had been only the grace of quick thinking that had saved Zabuza from breaking his neck on the fall…that and the fact that Haku made a good cushion when he had to.

Sensing another shuriken racing for his back, he narrowly dodged, managing to keep Zabuza out of the line of fire. He winced when another unseen shuriken managed to score a glancing hit on his arm. He took to another tree and put on another burst of speed, finally catching his second…or perhaps third wind.

By his count, he had killed roughly fifteen Chuunin level stone Nin. And yet they still kept coming. They just _kept coming_. It seemed that they were endless.

He dodged another shuriken and a small rain of Kunai, managing to make one kunai stick into his shoulder instead of the top of his head. Stifling his cries once again, he used some of what little chakra he had left and formed an ice mirror. He had to get away. Zabuza-sama _**must**_ survive.

He jumped straight into the ice mirror just as it shattered from the force of a powerful earth Jutsu.

On the other side of the impromptu teleportation technique, Haku breathed a sigh of relief.

He set Zabuza down and began to catch his breath when the cries of dismayed men met his ears. His eyes widened. He should have gone further than that. He should have been able to cover at least a mile with that technique…

He had less chakra left than he thought he did.

With a grunt, Haku picked up the dead weight of Zabuza and slung his free arm around his shoulders. So began his long trudge. He didn't care about the destination.

He just needed to _go_. Find a relatively safe place. Nurse Zabuza back to health. Repair whatever that Kunoichi had done to him. Make sure they would be…_safe_.

He chuckled darkly to himself. Safe.

It would take a miracle for that to happen.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Hinata calmed as the Nin she recognized as the hunter Nin from before traveled out of range of her Byakugan. She noticed with another bit of relief that the Nin that had been making…_advances_…on Sakura…had gone to reinforce the Nin that had been failing to kill or capture the hunter Nin.

The explosion that had rocked the complex had come from that hunter Nin…or whatever he was. He was obviously in some sort of collusion with Zabuza. For all intents and purposes, that made him an enemy.

Indirectly however, that same Nin had saved Sakura from what would have surely been a horrible experience.

For now, anyway.

Hinata's thoughts once again drifted to Naruto…or they would have, if she didn't hadn't heard the door open and the patter of feet.

She redirected her Byakugan to the room she was currently in and saw her captors…two nondescript looking men, probably in their late thirties, with gruff complexions and ratty clothing. They were looking at her extremely lecherously, although they seemed to be restraining themselves for whatever reason.

"Shit…how long d'you think she's been awake?"

Hinata tensed.

The scruffier one sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Too long, that's for sure. We'll need to up the dosage or somethin'…"

Hinata began shaking again, her previous fright returning tenfold.

The slightly better kempt mercenary advanced on her and produced a small syringe. Her shaking intensified. She tried to make a sound through the gag. She tried to ask them to have pity on her, or at least untie her or _something_…

The syringe was inserted into her arm and the plunger was pushed. The clear liquid within seeped into her veins, and immediately she began to feel drowsy.

The scruffy one leered at her again. "If it weren't for damn orders, _hime_…I could have made a woman out of ya' by now. Ah well, your loss."

"G'night again, Hime. Pleasant dreams…" The younger one chuckled.

Hinata cried, slipping off into a dreamless, horrible slumber.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a jolt, he woke up.

It took him a moment to recognize his surroundings. Flimsy architecture…tatami mat…red fox…

Wave country. Right.

He groaned and sat up, cracking a few protesting bones in the process. His head was throbbing. His mouth was dry.

His stomach grumbled loudly. He was also very hungry.

'_**About time you woke up. I've been jolting you with chakra for the past…what…two hours now?'**_

Naruto simply groaned out a sigh and shook his head. _'Incase you've forgotten, I was in excruciating pain and passed out. I think I deserved a little rest, eh?'_

He heard good natured chuckling in the back of his mind. _**'Oh sure, a **_**little**_** rest…you've been out for almost four hours now. More than enough time to rest yourself when you assume that my chakra has been at work the whole time.'**_

Naruto scoffed. '_Four hours? What happened to the eight hour minimum, eh?'_

Kyuubi gave him an exasperated look…or rather, _feeling_, through the empathetic link, as foxes couldn't look 'exasperated'. _**'You can get eight hours of sleep at home. Here, on a mission, you get as much as you need, no more. Besides, you're hungry, right? There's not much your body can do without nourishment.**_'

Grudgingly, Naruto agreed. Without the carbohydrates to burn and the vitamins to use, sleep was nigh useless, save for the repair cycle. And he had a nine tailed fox to take care of any 'repairs' that were needed.

Groaning again, he made his way to his feet, stretching in a lithe and limber way. He looked down to see his clothes and equipment folded and stacked neatly by the wall, and smiled. That was almost something like what Sakura would do for Sasuke.

Sakura!

Foregoing his clothing, he rushed out the thin door and out into what amounted to a living room, hoping to find Kakashi-sensei or Iruka-sensei or even Anko-san to find out what had really happened to Sakura.

What he found was a black haired woman, an older looking man drinking sake, and a short kid with a weird hat on his head.

All three were looking at him with wide eyes.

Moments of silence passed as Kyuubi calmly padded down the corridor and sat at Naruto's leg. She withheld her laughter.

The older man coughed into his fist. "Uh…kid…do you mind…y'know…putting some pants on?"

For a moment…only a moment…the words hung in the air. Naruto looked down at himself slowly with wide eyes, as if dreading the worst.

Naruto blushed a shade of red that was yet unseen upon the earth. He rushed back to his room after muttering a quick apology.

Kyuubi guffawed in her mind. For everything that had changed about Naruto, there had been one thing that had changed _completely_. Since his old ramen patterned boxers no longer fit, he had simply foregone wearing any undergarments, preferring instead to…what did he call it…

_Go commando_.

Of course, he still carried a pair around with him for the occasions that he needed them…such as when he was burning his clothes in the forest and washing off…but most of the time, he simply _went without_.

And considering that Anko had been the one to…_prepare_ him for bed after he passed out…she supposed that the woman hadn't even _thought_ to check for boxers.

Luckily for her, it had produced hilarious results.

The black haired woman was still speechless, and the old man simply took a long swig out of his jug, chuckling slightly. The boy, however, looked down at his own crotch, before looking at his mother.

"Mom…will I ever get that big?"

The black haired woman promptly passed out.

Kyuubi's internal laughter spilled out into small yips and grunts, as she almost literally rolled on the floor. The old man had spit out his mouthful of sake and was now currently laughing as hard as Kyuubi was, and the child…was simply staring at the whole thing with a genuinely curious expression on his face.

"What? What did I say? I just asked if my –"

The older man placed a hand on the boy's mouth, managing to contain…if only temporarily…his laughter.

"Boy…heh…boy, it'll…heh…it'll get bigger one day…heh…HAH…"

The man broke down laughing once more.

The kid just shook his head and proceeded to start shaking his mom slightly. He muttered something that sounded close to 'weird adults'.

A few minutes passed, in which Tazuna and Kyuubi both were able to contain their mirth. Tazuna, however, still had a face-splitting grin on his face, and Kyuubi was still very much amused.

As if on cue, Naruto walked back into the room, this time dressed fully in his normal attire, mask firmly affixed over his face. He didn't want anyone seeing his blush.

The old man gave him an almost wistful look. "I haven't laughed that hard in years, kid."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest in a mock pouting posture. "Oh, I'm _so_ glad I was able to give you some laughs, jiji. I ever live to amuse."

Tazuna simply chuckled and took another sip out of his jug of sake, patting the sofa next to him in an 'invitation' to sit down. Naruto grudgingly complied.

"Name's Tazuna, gaki. I'm the super bridge builder that you all came to this rotten hovel to protect. The kid over there is Inari, and the woman passed out is my daughter, Inari's mother, Tsunami."

Naruto sat back and relaxed slightly. "Naruto. My name's Naruto."

Tazuna gave him a funny look. "…fish-cake?"

Naruto sat up ramrod straight and gave the old man a glare through his mask, completely forgetting that he couldn't see it. "_No_, it's 'Maelstrom'! In Kanji, damn it!"

The old man chuckled and gave Naruto a placating gesture with his hands, taking another swig out of his sake jug at the same time. "Right, right…_Maelstrom_…I got it."

The blonde prodigy leaned back into the sofa again with his hands crossed over his chest, doing a very good impression of his old 'pouting' pose. Kyuubi chuckled within their empathetic link, and proceeded to hop up onto Naruto's neck as usual, propping her head on the edge of the forehead protector so she could see over it.

Tazuna gave the kid another funny look. "…uh…what's with the fox, kid?"

Naruto gave Kyuubi a small scratch behind her ear, preparing his canned response in the process. "Her name's 'Vix'. I found her in the forest one day, alone and starving…so I figured I'd give her a good home. She's stuck around ever since."

At this, Tazuna quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't know foxes could be domesticated. Huh, learn something new every day."

Ignoring Kyuubi's comment that she was most definitely _not domesticated_, Naruto just nodded and kept scratching behind Kyuubi's ear, earning him what amounted to a fox's version of purring in response. A comfortable silence settled over the room as Tazuna continued to drink and Naruto thought.

'_Oi…Kyuubi…I don't suppose you could fill me in on what went on during the time I was out.'_

Kyuubi's purring, or equivalent thereof, stopped. _**'Yeah. I listened in on their conversation…lemme bring you up to speed. Kurenai got soundly beaten by Zabuza. She used a last resort Jutsu on Zabuza, causing him to go brain-dead…and then he was promptly saved by his apprentice or cohort or something, who was disguised as a hunter Nin. After that, they ran into some mercs and some as-of-yet-unknown ninja, who proceeded to trash Kiba and Shino, and kidnap Hinata. That's about the gist of it.'**_

Naruto frowned. _'And what about Sakura?'_

Kyuubi sighed. _**'Kakashi believes she has been kidnapped in much the same manner as Hinata.'**_

Naruto's eyes widened, and he stopped petting Kyuubi. Hinata…_and_ Sakura both were being held captive? What exactly was going on here? Moreover, why weren't they out in the countryside searching for them right now?

He hadn't realized that he had thought that into the link he and Kyuubi shared. _**'Kakashi isn't sure what's going on, really. And they're not out there looking for them because they **_**need**_** sleep. You may have me to rely on, but they don't. Without sleep, they'd be sloppy and make mistakes…and you don't want that for a rescue operation.'**_

Frowning deeply, Naruto agreed…but he didn't want to. He wanted to do something. He wanted to jump up right now and go do _something_. Hinata…and Sakura both were being held captive, and he was just sitting here, doing nothing!

Abruptly, he stood. "Tazuna-san…if any of my team asks where I went, just tell them I went to train."

Tazuna gave him a mostly uncaring look. He was mostly sloshed already. "Right, just don't get yourself killed."

Naruto nodded and made his way out the front door. He couldn't die, not yet. Hinata was still in danger. Sakura was too. He had to get to them.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?"

His head snapped around to look at the origin of the voice, his hand subconsciously dropping to his kunai holster. He was currently looking at the roof, where a white and red clad woman stood against the backdrop of a noon sky. It was almost ethereal.

He recognized her as the woman he had saved earlier…Yuuhi Kurenai if he remembered correctly. He quirked an eyebrow. He didn't know that he had healed her so well.

"Training." It wasn't really a lie. He _was_ going to train…_while_ he scouted around.

Kurenai jumped off the roof and landed at his feet, drawing herself up to her full height. She gave Naruto a piercing glare.

"You're going to _train_, while the rest of your team is asleep? Do you really think I'm that stupid? I want to find Hinata and Sakura too, but I'm not stupid enough to believe I can do it on my own, and you shouldn't be either."

Naruto returned the piercing glare with one of his own, filling it with only a small amount of killing intent. Kurenai didn't even seem fazed.

"First off, I'm _not_ stupid. Secondly, at least I'll be doing _something_. Even if I only find where they're hiding out, that's good enough for me. No, I don't believe that I can single handedly rescue them, but at least I can _find_ them!"

Kurenai's eyes narrowed even further. "And what if there's an ambush set up? What if this whole thing is a trap? What if they're not even _in this country_ anymore? What then? Are you going to scour the entirety of the elemental nations _by yourself_?"

Before Naruto could respond, Kurenai sighed exasperatedly and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Listen…Naruto. I know how you feel. Hinata is _my_ student. I want so bad to just go out there, find her, and pay back those bastards for taking her…but I also know that it would do _them_ no good to have _me_ end up dead or captured as well. We have to be patient. When the time is right, we will find both of them, and we will rescue them. For now, though, hold tight and wait for your team to recuperate."

Naruto scowled, but didn't say anything. It wasn't as if what Kurenai was saying was false. She was probably right. But he felt…he just needed to _do_ something.

Sighing, he calmed himself. "…right. You're right. But…I still need to get my mind off of all of this…maybe work off some anger. I'm actually going to go train…and I won't go too far. I promise."

Smiling down at him, Kurenai nodded. Naruto returned the gesture before smartly turning around and walking away, hands in his pockets.

Before he got five steps, he felt arms wrap around his shoulders and the warm breath of someone close to his ear. He could also feel two mounds pushing into his back. A strong blush crept up his face.

"Thank you, Naruto, for giving me back the chance to be a ninja. I don't know how I can repay you for it, but if you ever need _anything_, just let me know."

Shakily, Naruto nodded. He fought down the thoughts that crept into his mind regarding the 'anything' promise. "Yo-You're welcome, Kurenai-san."

The arms slowly unwrapped from his shoulders, and a decidedly feminine hand ruffled his hair. He dare not turn around to face her…he didn't want her to see his blush. once again forgetting about the fact that his mask obscured such things.

"Right. Go get training then. We'll be here when you get back."

He nodded again, this time taking off at a much faster pace than before. He didn't want to give Kurenai a chance to do something even more embarrassing to him.

Kurenai simply chuckled and walked back to the house, hopping back up onto the roof. Perhaps Anko was on to something with her whole 'tease' routine. It was _fun_.

Kyuubi huffed.

'_**Bitch.'**_

'_Huh? Did you say something?'_

'_**No, no, not at all.'**_

----------------------------------------------------------

Nutrient bars tasted like shit. Not that Naruto had ever tasted shit…but if he had, he would say that shit tastes like nutrient bars.

Nevertheless, they were all he had to eat.

Kyuubi, now in her human form, just smirked at him, interpreting the look on his face for one of disgust. She interpreted correctly.

"You should have had that black haired lady make you some food before you left. I'm sure she was probably a good cook."

Naruto gave Kyuubi a look that clearly said, 'You're just now suggesting this?'

Kyuubi grinned.

Shoving the last of his nutrient bar down his gullet, Naruto stood up unceremoniously and made to take out his sword. He figured that Ryuudou training was just about as good as any other training he could do at the moment. He didn't want to use his Jutsu's, as they tended to attract attention, and ostensibly the only other thing he could work on was the Rasengan…but that had already proved fruitless.

Kyuubi stood up with him and put a hand on the hand that was about to pull out his sword, shaking her head at him at the same time. Naruto quirked his head to the side in confusion.

She motioned him over into a larger part of the clearing they were currently in, where she stopped and turned on a dime to face Naruto.

"You _could_ train Ryuudou…or you could train Rasengan…and either would be good. But, I have something that is much more important, and it just so happens to be the most opportune time to do it in."

Naruto unsnapped his mask from his head and clipped it to his belt, giving Kyuubi an anticipatory expression that was coupled with his kitsune-looking confusion.

"What else is there? I suppose we could have a chemistry lesson or something…but…"

Kyuubi looked him dead in the eye. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Naruto's eyebrows rose.

Sighing, the former nine tailed kitsune began her explanation. "Just because you have the contract doesn't mean that you can immediately start using the foxes that you summon. Just like any other sentient life form, foxes have free will. You can summon them, sure, but without gaining their favor or familiarity at least, they'll treat you like just another human, and I doubt they'd even obey your requests."

Naruto gave Kyuubi an incredulous expression. "Then what the hell is the point of the contract in the first place? If the foxes don't obey me, then what use is summoning them? Besides, you're 'the freaking Kyuubi'…don't they _have_ to obey you?"

Kyuubi shook her head. "Back when I was fully corporeal, yes…they would have had to obey me. I _was_ their taishou after all. But now that I'm sealed away…and most of my power is being held back…no, they really wouldn't _have_ to obey anything I say. There might be a few who are loyal for whatever reason, but I'm betting that the majority of them has either forgotten about me or didn't even care in the first place."

"Didn't care in the first place? What do you mean?" Naruto sounded genuinely perplexed.

Kyuubi sat down, motioning for Naruto to do the same. Sighing, she looked at him. "This might be a long story, so bear with me."

"When I was first created as the nine tailed fox…or _recreated_ as it were…I was given a specific task over and above my 'normal' ones. I was tasked with being the leader of the armies of Inari. A massive army comprised of all sorts of foxes that ranged anywhere from one tailed kits to eight tailed behemoths. At the time, it was considered to be the most massive army that any demigod had ever amassed, and its combined power could have easily toppled the gates of hell itself."

Her expression darkened. "However…I did not perform as I should have. I checked in on the armies _maybe_ once every two to three years at most, and I left most if not all of the actual workings of the army to the kitsune 'council'…comprised of eight tailed kitsune. I was really nothing more than a figurehead."

She sighed once more. "As such, the armies began to disintegrate. Desertion, infighting, restlessness leading to even more fighting…without a true leader, no one knew who to follow, who to obey. No one knew _who_ was in charge. All the while, I was off having a grand time globetrotting and generally having 'fun'. I knew of the problems that 'my' armies had, but I didn't much care, either due to arrogance or simple apathy, I don't know."

Kyuubi blew a loose strand of hair out of her face. "It remained that way even up until the day that I 'fell'. After that, I pretty much lost all contact with the armies, and I haven't reestablished contact since, for obvious reasons. I have no reason to believe that they trust me, and I have no real reason to believe that they'll still follow me, as I'm probably considered all but dead."

She looked up and met Naruto's eyes once more. "That's about the long and short of it. While you may have the _ability_ to summon foxes, those foxes are just _foxes_ until you can control them. You need to start gaining their respect and familiarity as soon as possible. The whole reason why I want to do it out here is because…lets face it…a ten story fox being summoned on the outskirts of Konoha would probably incite mass rioting. At least out here you don't really have to worry about it."

A pregnant silence settled over the two, as Naruto absorbed this new information. He would have to work at getting yet _another_ group to acknowledge and respect him. The payoff would be monumental…but the work involved…

Well, it wasn't exactly as if he had shunned a bit of hard work here and there before.

Smiling at Kyuubi, he just nodded. Kyuubi returned his smile, glad that Naruto didn't blame her for making the fox clans probably hate him by proxy. Both stood.

"So, I just do the Kuchiyose no Jutsu like regular, right? Except, no 'Kyuubi no Kitsune' after it?"

Kyuubi nodded, backing away slightly. Naruto's face set itself into a stony façade, and he brought his thumb up to his mouth, biting it to draw blood. He flew into a small flurry of hand seals. Finishing, he slammed his hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

It was in that split second between the Jutsu being activated, and the chakra being channeled, that both Kyuubi and Naruto could tell that something was wrong. _Very_ wrong.

Naruto screamed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

He was tired. Kami above, he was tired.

And yet he kept going.

He had to. Zabuza was counting on him. He was the man's tool, to use as he saw fit. Right now, the tool was doing exactly what the master would have wanted. He was dragging the master to safety, even at the cost of the tool's usefulness.

He didn't know how long he had gone. He didn't know how long he had trudged through this damnable forest. He just knew that he had to keep going. He had to. He must put one foot in front of the other…

His knee buckled underneath him, sending both Haku and Zabuza to the ground in a heap. Haku tried, in vain, to lift Zabuza once more, to keep going, to _force_ his legs to work. The cursed appendages would barely even twitch.

Resigning himself to a small rest, he propped his back up against a nearby tree, keeping Zabuza squarely on his back, as near to him as possible. He knew those damned stone Nin were still after them. If he tried hard enough, he could hear their panting, their incessant chattering, their beating hearts…it was enough to drive him mad, if he let it.

Gulping for air, he glanced around his surroundings. Not exactly the best place to collapse, but at least the small copse would allow for some minor amounts of shelter and camouflage. Off in the not too far distance, he could see a small clearing –

He tensed. There were people in the clearing. Squinting, he could just make out a boy that looked to be dressed in modified ANBU gear, accompanied by a stunningly beautiful red haired woman, maybe only a year younger than him. They seemed to be chatting about something of some importance, as both held a concentrated aura about them.

He drew a senbon, just in case. They didn't give off any markers of being hostile, nor did they look as though they had spotted him and Zabuza…so for now, they were just benign. They might make a good distraction or the stone Nin, however, should it come down to it.

The boy and the woman stood, chatting for a moment more, before the boy brought his thumb to his mouth and bit it, drawing blood. Haku's eyes widened. They were getting ready to summon something. He focused harder, trying to make out just what was going on, not just for their safety, but for his own curiosity. He had only ever seen a summoning once before.

The boy made hand seals and slammed his hand into the ground.

Immediately, he knew something was wrong. Perhaps it was the scream of the boy as he doubled over in pain, or perhaps it was the absolutely massive amounts of _red_ chakra that boiled out of him. Perhaps it was the clouds that appeared overhead, as though summoned. He didn't know. He just knew that he _really_ wanted to be anywhere but here right now.

He tried to move his legs once more, failing.

He sighed.

He supposed he was stuck here until he regained his strength. He might as well make the best of it. Concentrating, he was able to witness just what was happening with the boy, who was currently in massive amounts of pain.

It would be the start of a turning point in Haku's life.

--------------------------------------------------------------

It _hurt_. It hurt so much. It was like nothing he had ever felt before.

It was as if something was sucking him dry of chakra. Like a massive vacuum had just been placed over the seal and turned on high. He could literally _feel_ Kyuubi's chakra resisting the flow, but no matter what she did to stop the chakra, it seemed to simply keep going, as though the resistance wasn't even there.

A sharp pain hit, deeper and more resonating than the first. He screamed. He wanted to tear at the seal, rip off the skin...anything to get rid of the pain.

And as quickly as it began, it was over.

He simply lay on the ground, panting and wheezing for air. He could hear the almost pleading yelling of the Kyuubi for him to 'say something' or 'get up' or 'oh god, what's happening?'…but at the moment, all he could focus on was the _lack_ of pain.

You could tell that a pain was intense, when you literally felt the _lack_ of it, rather than relief.

For whatever reason, Kyuubi's yelling stopped.

A few moments later, he felt a cool sensation flood his body. He relaxed. It felt good. It was the direct antithesis of the pain he had been feeling only moments earlier.

Opening his eyes, he saw…a man. Not a fox.

The man was slightly tanned, with high cheekbones and a defined jaw, accentuated by his sparkling…purple…eyes and bright red hair that flowed behind him in a very long braid. He was clothed in a platinum colored kimono and a jet black haori, with a deep red obi tied around his waist. On his legs was a baggy cloth hakama that were colored in the same deep red as the obi. Wooden geta adorned his feet.

In a word, he looked noble.

It was offset by the carefree look on his face…a look that Naruto had sported more than a few times.

"Heh…sorry about that. If I'd known the chakra for the signal was sealed _so_ tightly, I would have made it a bit less prominent."

Coughing slightly to clear his wind pipe of excess phlegm that built up during his screaming, he slowly made his way to his feet, feeling a bit sapped of energy. Strangely enough, the cool sensation remained.

"Who…who're you? What the hell just happened?"

The man simply smiled wider and put a hand behind his head in a bashful way. "Ah, right, introductions. Well, seeing as how I'm kinda the cause of your pain, I'll go first."

The man promptly executed a lavish and over exaggerated bow. Straightening, the smile on his face was much more reserved and calm than it had been before.

"My name is Inari. I am a demigod."

Naruto simply _stopped_. He stopped breathing, he stopped moving…he simply _stopped_.

And then scowled.

"You really expect me to believe that? You're telling me that you're a _demigod_…not just any demigod, _Inari_? I'll call bullshit on that one, thank you."

The man just looked at him in confusion, once again much more reserved than before. "You do not believe me? Huh…I would have thought my entrance was enough to convince you…"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Your _entrance_ was made by giving _me_ a _ton_ of pain…I don't really see how that makes you some sort of Kami."

'Inari' chuckled lightly and walked over to Naruto, his eyes shining with mirth. He reached out to Naruto's head and before he could react, poked the spot right between his eyebrows, sometimes referred to as the 'mind's eye'.

In an instant, Naruto's world changed. No longer was there a man standing in front of him…no…that was no man. That was a _fox_.

A fox easily twenty times larger than what Kyuubi was ever depicted to be. He was white, had only one tail, and his purple eyes shown with mirth, much like the man who had just been standing in front of him.

He could have passed it off as a Genjutsu. He really could have.

He didn't. The power that he felt from that one poke…the power he felt now that his eyes were 'open' as it were…this was no ordinary prankster, not even an ordinary fox, or even a summoned fox.

This…this was…

His vision faded, and he was suddenly once again seeing as he was before. The man stood before him again, eyes alight, and the area around was much the same.

His eyes fixed onto the purple ones of the fox-god.

"Inari…you…you're…"

Inari smiled brightly. "Yeah. I'm the real deal."

Naruto passed out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uh…hey, kid? Are you alright? Helooooooooo, kid?"

_Who the hell is yelling this early in the morning…five more minutes…_

"I know you're awake. I can tell these things you know…I'm kind of…you know…a _Kami_?"

_Great…I'm hallucinating. Some dude calling himself a Kami. I must have gotten drunk last night…_

"Ramen."

He shot up.

The man with the red hair laughed deeply. His eyes were closed into small slits, and the whisker marks on his cheeks, much like his own, were stretched, much like his smile.

"That was rich, kid. I mean, I know that most of us like ramen, but you go from like, 'I don't want to get up' to 'I'M AWAKE!' in less than a second at the mention of _ramen_. That's _awesome_."

Naruto's face remained impassive.

"You're really a Kami?"

Inari gave him a confused smile. "I thought we already went over this?"

Naruto quirked his head. "You…don't strike me as very…_Kami-ish_."

The demigod simply chuckled and put a hand behind his head. "Right, right, I get that all the time. Demigods are supposed to be stuck up snobs or something right? Bah, that's no fun. Besides, how often is it that I get a _legitimate_ reason to come to earth? Once a century event, man."

Naruto's face didn't even twitch.

Inari gave him what amounted to an exasperated look. "Man, lighten up already! I'm not going to smite you or anything…not my department. Hell, I didn't even know that I was gonna be coming down here any time soon."

At this, Naruto did cock an eyebrow.

Inari gave him a much more reserved smile. "I suppose you just wanna know what's going on, right?"

Naruto nodded. He also noted that Kyuubi was nowhere in sight, and he couldn't feel a thing through their empathetic bond. He could feel her consciousness nestled away in the seal, however. It seemed as though she was trying _really_ hard to hide.

Inari plopped down on the ground unceremoniously and crossed his legs and arms, taking a deep breath in the process.

"Well, I'll explain it to you…er…wait…"

Naruto felt a tug at the seal. With no more than a pop, Kyuubi appeared right next to him in her human form.

She squeaked.

Inari chuckled. "Trying to hide? From _me_? C'mon now, Kyuubi, you know better than that."

Faster than Naruto could comprehend, she was prostrate before the man's feet, nose touching the grass below them. Naruto gave her a _very_ confused look.

"H-h-hai! Inari-sama, it is good to see y-y-you again! Heh…uh…what…what are you doing here? Surely not to get _me_ or anything, right? Heh…?"

Kyuubi spared a glance at Naruto and gave him a half-scared half-angry look.

Putting a hand behind his head, Kyuubi forced Naruto to bend slightly. "Bow down, stupid!"

Naruto scowled and slapped Kyuubi's hand away, giving her a cold look. Kyuubi actually started at that…Naruto had never given her a cold look before. She forgot all about Inari.

Naruto looked away from her and set his gaze on Inari's own. "Bow down? To this guy? He hasn't even earned it yet. Demigod or no, I don't bow to people who don't deserve it."

If possible, Inari's eyes became even more filled with mirth.

After a few moments of silence, Inari looked over towards Kyuubi and just made a hand gesture, obviously telling her to stop bowing. Again, faster than Naruto could comprehend, she was in a traditional 'sitting' position, with her head bowed.

Inari glanced over at Naruto with a chagrined smirk. "You're interesting, kid. _Real_ interesting. Most times, when I try to talk with people, it's 'Sorry this' or 'forgive me that' or 'I'm not worthy'…but _you_…you got guts to stand up to a demigod. I like that."

The demigod laid back and sprawled on the grass in a very undignified position, hands behind his head. He looked as though he was just staring at the clouds.

"Right then…I suppose you want that explanation I promised you. Well…it all started when the big guy created heaven and earth…and it was kinda cool, so he created this huge ball of gas and ignited it, right? It shined down on the earth, and that was pretty cool too, except it was really hot, and you could get burnt if you got too close…anyway, he had a bunch of us brainstorm what 'animals' should look like…except we were kinda drunk at the time…I think some dude named 'Mercury' came up with the duck-billed platypus…he was always coming up with weird shit…"

"This has _what_ to do with me, exactly?" Naruto was staring at the demikami with barely concealed exasperation.

Inari brought his head up slightly and gave Naruto a faux innocent expression. "Oh, nothing really…it's just that in all the tales where Kami creates everything, it's always so serious and crap…you'd think that Kami doesn't have a sense of humor or something."

His head dropped back down onto the grass. "Anyway, jump a few million of your years into the future…Kami gives me custody of this really cute looking nine-tailed fox named Kyuubi. He tells me to keep an eye on her, raise her well, give her my knowledge…etcetera…well…long story short, I kinda _didn't_."

A soft wind blew by, ruffling Naruto's hair slightly. Inari's tone became almost forlorn…and much more subdued.

"I shirked my duties. I'll spare you the details…but…I liked my lifestyle at that point, and a charge isn't what I wanted. I liked playing pranks on people, I liked seducing evil dudes and then making their lives hell…and of course, I had the duties of making people prosperous and keeping the economies of the world in check…truth be told…taking care of a nine tailed fox that was supposed to be the taishou of my armies wasn't exactly what I had in mind as 'fun'.

Inari squirmed lightly on the ground. "So I didn't. I left her to her own devices, for the most part. I checked in on her every once in a while…but it was rare that we saw each other. I kept doing my thing, and she kept doing hers, and the world kept on spinning…I figured that so long as she didn't inadvertently end existence or something, everything was cool."

He sat up suddenly, his head bowed, his eyes no longer shining with mirth. Naruto thought he looked sad…which was something he had yet to see on Inari.

"And then I heard of your fall…Kyuubi."

To his right, Naruto heard Kyuubi gasp.

Another stiff wind blew through the clearing.

"When I heard that you had joined _them_…I…I wasn't really angry, to be honest. I was more…disappointed. In myself. I mean…if you had died, I would have been sad and disappointed, but I would have gotten over it. But…you had fallen, and fallen _hard_…and most of the blame could be placed _directly_ on me. It was really selfish of me, actually. I was only thinking about myself, and feeling sorry for_ myself_…and not even really caring about you, at the time anyway."

Naruto noticed that Inari's voice had dropped in volume. "So…I requested, and was granted, an audience with Kami himself. I asked him point blank, 'Let me lead my armies into hell, dethrone the dark one, rescue Kyuubi and the rest of the bijuu…and then return.'"

There was a pause…Naruto couldn't hear any sound outside of his own breathing, and perhaps the breathing of Inari. It was as if nature had just _shut up_.

"I was denied."

Naruto noticed that Kyuubi had begun to shake.

Inari sighed deeply. "I was being selfish, and he knew it. I was only trying to make up for my past mistakes. I didn't really care about Kyuubi or the rest of the bijuu; so much as I cared about trying to save face. I mean…all of the demigods had lost a charge when the bijuu fell…and despite the fact that I was the only one with an army, I had been the only one to even approach Kami about it. The others, at least, recognized their failures."

The demigod's eyes brightened slightly. "He set me straight. He humbled me, really. It was one of the best things that's ever happened to me. But…I still felt bad. Kyuubi was suffering for my mistakes…she had fallen because of _my_ mistakes. It felt horrible to know that she would forever be a beast of destruction."

As Kyuubi let forth a small sob, Naruto put a hand on her shoulder. She tensed slightly at the contact, but relaxed somewhat afterwards.

Inari glanced at Kyuubi…and Naruto thought he saw a wince.

"Kami told me, however…that the bijuu, when they were released upon the world…would be defeated. At first, I was incredulous…but then again, Kami doesn't make a habit of lying. He told me that the bijuu would be sealed into humans, and that those humans would be…special. He never really elaborated on just _how_ special they would be."

Inari kept himself from wincing again. He didn't like lying to those who didn't deserve it, but the kid didn't need to know just how _special_ he would become. That much, Kami had made _explicitly_ clear to him.

He cleared his throat. "Long story short, he made me a deal. When someone signed the Kitsune contract and attempted a summon…instead of a fox…they would get me. I would be allowed to come down here to earth in a corporeal form and meet with Kyuubi, and the one she was sealed in. However, since _no one_ on this plane of existence has the power needed to actually _summon_ a Kami…it was decided that the chakra from the bijuu would simply be used as a homing beacon of sorts. The chakra would be forced out, I would feel it, and then summon myself onto the mortal plane. Pretty ingenious, actually."

Naruto gave him a look that clearly showed his quickly building petulant anger. "Oh, yeah, great plan. I'm rolling around in enormous amounts of pain, and you call it _ingenious_. I so totally hate you."

Inari gave Naruto a huge grin and simply scratched the back of his head again. "I already said sorry…"

Naruto huffed.

Clearing his throat again, Inari continued. "So here I am. You tried to summon a fox, and you got me. That's what's 'going on' here. Any questions?"

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the demikami. "You said something about me being 'special…what did you mean by that? And…why, exactly, do you even _need_ to meet with Kyuubi and me?"

He noticed Inari's face go slightly rigid for just a moment…before it settled back into one of childish mirth. It had barely been long enough to catch, but it had still been there.

"Well, like I said…Kami didn't exactly tell me what he meant by that…so I can't really answer…as for the other question…"

Inari sighed and scratched the back of his head again. "I guess…I wanted to come down here to apologize. To Kyuubi _and_ to you. I also wanted to come down here to see if there was anything I could do to make amends. I know that nothing short of reinstating Kyuubi in her previous position will make up for it…and that's something I can't do…but I needed to do _something_, you know?"

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "_Make amends_? What exactly do you mean by that? What can you 'do' that will help both Kyuubi and I?"

The god of mischief gave Naruto a lopsided grin. "Well…I was kinda planning on granting you a request of your choice…you know, kinda like a wish or something. If it's within my power, anyway. That was the best idea I had…but I kinda got another one when I met you."

Naruto's eyebrows rose slightly.

Inari abruptly stood up and crossed his arms, giving Naruto a piercing stare that seemed to somehow bore straight through him. There was something like killing intent in it…but it wasn't exactly the same.

Nevertheless, Naruto felt compelled to stand. Kyuubi did the same.

For what seemed like a full minute, Inari just stared at Naruto, his purple eyes focused and unwavering. Throughout the entire time, Naruto tried very hard to keep himself from fidgeting. Kyuubi just stood at his side.

A smile broke out on Inari's face. "Right…you'll do."

Before Naruto could even comprehend it, Inari was standing right in front of him, drawing himself up to his full height. The stare was very much still there. It took every bit of self control he had to keep from fidgeting or backing up.

"Namikaze Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato, container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune and Genin of Konohagakure no Sato…I hereby offer you the position of taishou of the armies of Inari."

Naruto promptly fell on his butt.

"Wh-what? Taishou…of…an _army_…why would you…want _me_…for _that_?"

Inari chuckled warmly. "Quite a few reasons, not the least of which is the fact that you have a hell of an indomitable spirit. Add onto that the fact that you have access to Kyuubi's chakra, _and_ get yourself into dangerous situations rather often, and you have an ideal General for an army of foxes."

A confused Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why on earth would it be a good thing for me to be getting into dangerous situations?"

The demikami once again chuckled. "Because, my army _loves_ to fight. Undoubtedly, you'll get yourself into some bad situation sometime, and you'll have to call on the powers of my army to aid you. They get to fight, you get the aid you need…everyone wins!"

Inari's face darkened slightly, however. "Above all of this, however, is the fact that neither I nor Kyuubi have been a good taishou for my army. We've neglected them for too long…we haven't even really _used_ them save for once or twice a piece. Perhaps…perhaps a human like yourself will have more use for them…and perhaps you will be a better General for them than either of us could ever be."

Naruto's eyes softened slightly. Even after the demigod had all but admitted to his negligence concerning both Kyuubi and his army…he was trying to set things right. He felt compassion for his troops, at least. That…and Inari recognized his deficiencies for what they were. Naruto thought for a moment, weighing various pros and cons of the situation, and what this would mean for him, before he came to a decision.

He stood, this time without feeling the need to flinch or retreat, and looked directly into Inari's eyes. "I, Namikaze Naruto, humbly accept the position of Taishou of the armies of Inari."

Inari's eyes widened, before they set themselves into a look of unbridled joy. The demigod put a hand on Naruto's head and ruffled his hair, much to Naruto's consternation.

"That's great! Really, I was half expecting you to outright refuse…but I guess I misjudged you again! Right then…you're now the Taishou of my army. You can use them as you see fit. I'll make sure to give them all the order that you're to be treated with the same respect they give me."

Naruto started slightly. "Same respect they give _you_? Surely you don't expect them to give _me_ the same respect they give a _demigod_?"

Inari gave Naruto an authoritative look. "I _expect_ them to do exactly as they're ordered. I may acknowledge that I haven't been much of a Taishou to them all, but that doesn't mean that I've stopped being their leader. Hell, even with you as the new Taishou, I'll still be commander-in-chief, so to speak. I'm still a demigod, remember."

The blonde Jinchuuriki had the decency to look sheepish. "Right. All powerful and all that. Got it."

Said 'all powerful' entity just shook his head exasperatedly, but with humor. "Not all powerful…just…_powerful_. I'm not Kami…I'm just one of his servants. No one can even hope to match the power, experience, wisdom and absolute authority that Kami himself has…hell, I don't even come close."

Naruto gave Inari a curious expression. "What's he like? Kami, I mean."

Inari showed a slight look of surprise before he put a hand on his chin and adopted a thoughtful expression. Truthfully, he was trying to figure out just how to describe _Kami_ to a mortal. It was nearly impossible. Then again, that had never stopped him before.

He sighed. "He's a paradox, wrapped in a riddle, punctuated by an enigma. Truthfully, that's about the best explanation I can give you. He's everything, he is the beginning, and he is the end…all that dramatic bullshit. All you really need to know about him is that he has one hell of a sense of humor. Everyone always imagines him to be this serious and ethereal being…but in reality, he's the type of dude you could go out to a bar and grab a drink with. By the way, alcohol is Kami's way of saying he loves you and wants you to be happy."

Naruto full on smiled, shaking his head slightly. "That makes more sense than you can possibly know."

Inari returned the smile with one of his own. "Of course it does. It's a quote from one of Kami's drinking buddies."

Both parties simply laughed. The absurdity of the situation they were in, coupled with newfound revelations and positions of authority, caused their emotion to transmogrify into mirth. Laughing was as good an outlet as any for emotional stress.

Once they had calmed down, Inari adopted a somewhat solemn expression and gave Naruto a sideways glance. "Naruto…would you be able to give Kyuubi and I a few minutes…alone? I just want to speak to her for a bit."

Naruto gave Inari an only slightly wary glance, before turning to face Kyuubi. Said fox gave him a hesitant, if apprehensive nod, giving him leave to give her a smile and trudge in the direction of a small copse of trees. Kyuubi noticed the boy focus on his hand intently, and she also saw the beginnings of what looked to be Rasengan training. She wished him well.

And then she looked at Inari, and winced once more.

Inari walked up to where Kyuubi was kneeling and kneeled down himself, placing his hands on her shoulders. She tensed at the contact.

"Kyuubi…I know you're…ashamed right now. I can feel it coming off of you in waves. You're afraid that I'll punish you somehow, or reprimand you, or chastise your decisions…am I right?"

Kyuubi nodded slightly.

The demigod gave her an almost guilty smile. "I had nothing like that in mind. It never even _crossed_ my mind to do such things. As I said before…this was as much my fault as it was yours. The commander is responsible for the actions of a subordinate. I messed up…I really messed up. And you paid for that."

She raised her head slightly and dared to look in Inari's eyes.

Said Kami smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I'm really, very sorry. I could have done a lot to prevent any of this from happening…and while you yourself aren't necessarily absolved from all guilt…this wasn't something that occurred simply because of your own arrogance or pride. You have to realize that. You can't blame yourself. On the same vein, you can't blame me, either. You cannot blame _anyone_, save for the dark one himself. We made mistakes…but he took advantage of that."

Kyuubi lowered her head again. "But…I made the conscious decision, Inari-sempai…I was the one who decided to go to hell, I was the one who convinced the others to follow me…I was the one who gave in. Even with your guidance…do you really think I would have been saved from that?"

Inari's grip on Kyuubi's shoulders tightened, and when Kyuubi looked up, she saw tremendously regretful eyes staring into her own. His face was set in a visage of near pain from the feelings of his emotion.

"Yes. I do. With my guidance, you might never have fallen, with my guidance, you might have taken charge of the armies…with my guidance…who knows what would have happened. Only Kami knows that, and you know as well as I do that he doesn't share the events of the future with anyone. What happened, happened. All we can do is say that we're sorry, help each other through it, and come out on the other side, changed for the better…hopefully."

Kyuubi managed a meager smile, eyes darting to the ground as she began to allow herself to feel better. "Thank you, Inari-sempai. That…that means a lot to me."

Inari put on the most reassuring smile he could muster. "You're welcome, Kyuubi."

She looked up into his eyes, and they both shared a knowing, almost commiserating laugh. Again…it helped to clear away the depression that had threatened to set in them both.

Breaking the comfortable silence afterwards, Inari stared over at the boy who was still trying…mostly in vain…to get his Rasengan to work correctly.

"He's quite the human, isn't he? I haven't seen one with his spirit and fire for quite some time now…and he carries a sadness and grief…it'd be amazing if it weren't so sad."

Kyuubi gave Inari a knowing smile. "You have no idea, Inari-sempai. He's…unique, in every definition of the word. Wherein most Shinobi refuse to show emotion…he thrives off of it. Whereas most humans hold a grudge for revenge and vengeance towards those who have wronged them…he forgives with only the smallest feelings of true remorse that those same people show him. He's…he's really like no other human I have _ever_ met."

This time, it was Inari's time to give Kyuubi a knowing smile. "Quite the glowing recommendation, eh Kyuubi? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were some sort of…_admirer_. Are you looking to…?"

Before Inari could finish, Kyuubi gave him a glare. "No!...of course not…I mean, he's human, and there's such an age gap, and we see each other as mostly siblings…no, we could never ever –"

"You know, I have limited empathy with all of my subordinates, Kyuubi. Lying to me is like trying to lie to yourself…it just doesn't work."

The former nine tailed fox only averted her gaze away from her sempai, not allowing him to see the disgruntled expression on her face, the petulant pout, or the blush.

Of course, he still sensed them, and a bright grin broke out on his face, as a slightly perverted chuckle made manifest from his throat.

After a few moments, he calmed and shook his head wistfully. Kyuubi gave him a slightly confused look.

"I see. Well, good luck with that, then. You've got quite a few layers of emotional and mental protection to go through before you even come close to reaching _that_ part of Naruto. That much is painfully obvious. Then again, you always did like a challenge."

Kyuubi nodded her head, hiding a wince. "I was there for all the times he was beaten…all the times he was scorned…I _know_ what I'm up against, sempai…and I know it will be hard…but…"

She trailed off and looked off towards the black clad form of her container, who was staring at his hand as if it were a rubix cube, just waiting to be figured out.

Kyuubi smiled warmly.

"The payoff is worth it. For all your traits, Sempai…you don't know him like I do. There's so much more to him than meets the eye…and perhaps more to him even than a demigod can perceive. He grew up hard…he grew up fast…he's like a thirty year old trapped in the body of a twelve year old. He's mature for his age…and yet he maintains that almost childish charm that makes him, _him_. To anyone who knows him…_really_ knows him…he'd be quite possibly the best friend they would ever, or could ever have."

Completely out of character, she adopted a perverted grin.

"That, and he's got quite the sizeable –"

"Understood…and that's _way_ too much information.

Kyuubi simply gave Inari a wicked looking grin.

The demigod shuddered.

Shaking off his apparent discomfort, he stood and gave Kyuubi a hand to stand as well. "Take good care of him. He has a lot in store for him in his lifetime…and he'll need everyone and everything he can get his hands on to get through it. There's no such thing as _too_ powerful, for the enemies he'll be facing."

Kyuubi nodded, face set in determination. Inari shot her a thankful smile.

The demigod then put his hands over his mouth and took a deep breath. "Yo, Naruto…come back over here, I got one or two more things to do before I go!"

Said blonde turned abruptly and nodded briskly, making his way over at a light jog. His mask was still affixed to his belt.

When he arrived, Inari put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting smile, locking eyes with the container.

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Naruto…it's about time for me to return from where I came from…and there are some things I need to go over with you. First and foremost…"

The demigod pulled a scroll out of a deep pocket in his hakama and handed it to Naruto with reverence…the blonde accepted it with equal reverence.

"This is a scroll that will explain to you the various ways in which you can summon foxes to aid you in battle. Our summons don't work like other summons do most of the time, so be sure to read through there very carefully, and make note of anything important. Also…and I cannot stress this enough…"

Inari gained a tremendously serious expression, making Naruto almost flinch.

"The last Jutsu in that scroll…it is not to be used unless it is _absolutely_ necessary. As in…it is the only way in which to save those precious to you. With the raw amount of chakra it uses…it could cause horrible side effects to the user…you…and may very well outright kill you. Do not use it, ever, unless there is no other choice. Understood?"

Naruto, sensing the seriousness of the situation, nodded. His face belied no hint that he didn't take it seriously…and he _did_ take it seriously. He immediately put the scroll in his backpack and secured it in a small Velcro strap, making sure that it was safe and sound.

Inari's expression shifted from serious to happy in the blink of an eye. "Good! Now that the serious stuff is out of the way…I did say that I would grant you one request, didn't I? Seeing as how I already gave you something though, I guess the request goes to Kyuubi. Any one thing that is within my power to grant, is yours."

Kyuubi looked startled for a moment before she averted her eyes to the ground and adopted a wistful smile. "With all due respect Inari-sempai…I'm just along for the ride here. Give the request to Naruto. He deserves it far more than I do."

Naruto's eyebrows shot up and he gave Kyuubi a startled look. "Wait wait wait…I already got command of an army…you deserve a request as much as I do, Kyuubi. We're in this together, remember? You're _not_ just along for the ride."

Inari held a small knowing smile as he saw the look that Naruto and Kyuubi shared after Naruto's show of selflessness and camaraderie. Perhaps…just perhaps…Kyuubi would get through to the boy after all. They already shared a bond…and that bond could only be strengthened at this point. Whether they both knew it or not.

He interrupted the silent communication between the two. "Right…well, Kyuubi already gave you her request Naruto, there's nothing to be done for it now. It's your move. Anything within my power to grant is yours. Just ask."

Naruto swung his gaze over to the demigod and gave him a slightly startled expression…before simply nodding. The boy turned his gaze towards the grass on the ground and looked to be thinking…hard. Inari set himself to simply wait for the boy to come to a decision.

Truthfully, Naruto had many things he wanted. He wanted the respect of Konoha…he wanted Hinata and Sakura back…he wanted to be powerful…he wanted those precious to him to be safe, and he wanted…

He withheld a small flinch. If he were to be true with himself…the first thing that had come to mind when Inari had talked about granting a request was wanting to have his father and mother back. It was selfish of him, he knew that much…but…didn't he deserve it? After everything he had gone through…after everything he had endured…didn't he deserve to be selfish, just this once?

He glanced at Kyuubi, and saw her staring at him with something he couldn't quite identify dancing in her eyes. Maybe it was admiration…maybe it was pride. It was something that he hadn't really ever experienced anyone looking at him with before.

She had helped him. She had already given him so much…even after she had taken those same things away. She had repented. And what did she have to show for it?

She was a slave to him. Her life revolved around his. What he wanted from her, he got…she trained him, she helped him…she gave him everything. He didn't even want to think about what his life would be like now if he hadn't had her help. He would probably still be his same obnoxious self…Sasuke would still be his stuck up, arrogant self…Sakura would still be the epitome of a fan girl…

He never would have met Tenten, or Kouseki, or Hiashi, or formed a bond with Kakashi, or learned who his parents were. He would have never learned of Hinata's crush on him. He wouldn't have learned of chemistry or biology or anatomy…he wouldn't have been able to save Kurenai's arm, or heal the women they had come across. He was so much more now than he ever was before he had learned of Kyuubi…before he had met Kyuubi, and before she had changed his life.

His life as it was right now…he had only one person to thank for it.

Kyuubi.

Selfish? He shook his head and let forth a chuckle. No, he didn't deserve to be selfish. He would work for what he got from now on. Kyuubi deserved something for everything she had done for him. By his estimate, she had repented and paid for her crimes already. Perhaps she had made mistakes…perhaps she had taken the very things away from him that she was now giving back to him…but…didn't she deserve a second chance?

If he had been manipulated to do the same things she had done…wouldn't he want a second chance?

Coming to a conclusion, he raised his head and stared directly into Inari's eyes, unflinching. Inari returned his stare with equal candor.

"I want you to give Kyuubi her body back."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was something off about the man with red hair.

He came to that conclusion when the man poked the blonde and made him fall unconscious. Or maybe it was the fact that the other red head was showing him incredible amounts of respect. Or maybe…perhaps…it was some other type of sensory perception that he couldn't quite figure out.

Any way you looked at it, he was just…different.

Haku's eyes darted to Zabuza, who had just stirred slightly from his slumber. He withheld a small relieved sigh, not wanting to make any unnecessary sound. Zabuza was coming to…or perhaps he was just experiencing pain. Either way, it was an improvement from the absolute _absence_ of _anything_ that the missing Nin had shown over the past day or two.

Abruptly, a Kunai with an exploding note attached to it buried itself to the tree he was leaning up against.

His legs still wouldn't move. He didn't have enough chakra to form an ice mirror. As it was, he could barely even try to shuffle out of the way.

Instinct honed from years of being a 'tool' kicked in. He flung himself over Zabuza, shielding his master from the blow that was sure to come when the note started to burn down.

He could hear the stone Nin coming now. Their shouts mingled in with the normal sounds of the forest. He could clearly hear one shouting about how he 'had the fuckers cornered'.

He let forth a small sad smile as a tear slid down his cheek.

He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto's head snapped towards the direction where he had heard it. Kyuubi, forgetting her astonishment at Naruto's request for the moment, did the same.

Inari blinked a few times.

"You just noticed them?"

The boy kept himself from face faulting by scowling.

Without a second's hesitation, he shot off towards the direction that the sounds had come from, Kyuubi following after him quickly, transforming into her fox form as quickly as she could.

Inari blinked again, before simply sitting himself down in the clearing and lying back in the grass. It wasn't really his problem. Just like the spy in the bushes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

He could hear the note burning down. It had been burning for at least two seconds now. Normal time for an explosive note to detonate was approximately five seconds.

This meant that he had approximately three seconds to live.

Two. His eyes shut tighter.

One. He tightened his hold on Zabuza.

Silence.

The note had stopped burning.

Was it a dud? Had it been a diversion, or perhaps it malfunctioned? Either way…there was obviously some sort of god watching out for him that day.

He opened his eyes and sat up, looking around.

In front of him, standing defensively was the same blonde boy and a red fox. The fox had what remained of an explosive note under one of its paws, and the kunai was flung to the ground unceremoniously.

The blonde looked back at him, and gave him a slightly reassuring smile.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Haku stared stunned.

Blondie narrowed his eyes at him. "Hey! I asked you if you were alright! C'mon, snap out of it."

He did just that. "I…I'm fine, yes. Thank you…I –"

Haku was cut off by another kunai flying for his neck.

Said kunai was intercepted deftly by the blonde.

"Man…someone wants you dead. Don't worry, we can deal with it; just keep that unconscious dude safe. Name's Naruto, by the way."

Haku blinked again. "…Haku. And…yes…I will keep him safe…"

Naruto gave him a foxy grin and turned back around, muttering something to his fox companion. Both tensed.

Moments later, three Nin with stone-Nin forehead protectors appeared from the brush.

The lead stone Nin sneered and brought himself up to full height, casting a haughty and arrogant stare at Naruto. "I don't know who you are, kid…but this is Iwagakure business. You shouldn't get involved, unless you _want_ to die."

Naruto returned the sneer tenfold. "I don't quite give a shit _whose_ business it is, you're attacking an otherwise defenseless person…and I'm _not_ going to allow that. Leave now, or I'll gut you like I did the rest of those mercs."

This caused the stone Nin's sneer to turn into an amused…if malicious, chuckle. "Comparing _us_ to mercenaries? An Academy student in Iwagakure could have killed the mercenaries that inhabited the village, kid. We're _ninja_. If you don't already know the difference, then you're as good as dead."

Naruto moved his right hand down to his belt and brought his mask up to his face, securing it tightly onto his face. Reaching up to the hilt of his sword, he drew it slowly, settling into a stance that put his weight on his right foot that was behind him, and putting his center of balance right above his bent knee. His left foot was out in front of him, foot turned parallel to his body, and his left arm was pointed straight out, paralleling the sword that was held in his right arm, above his head.

His left hand twisted so that the palm was upwards, and his fingers were together. His voice took on a much colder quality. It was as if his mask had changed his entire persona.

"I know the difference. The question is…will it really even matter?"

His left hand made a 'come' gesture.

The lead stone Nin snarled.

Before either party could move, Kyuubi sprung into action, flinging herself…in her larger battle form…towards the rightmost stone Nin. Said Nin raised his kunai and brought it into a guard position roughly parallel to his chest. In mid air, Kyuubi shifted herself slightly, and with a cry from the Nin, latched her teeth onto his arm, ripping and lashing with it with enough force to dislocate his elbow.

Uncaring to his teammate's predicament, the lead stone Nin rushed Naruto with Kunai in hand, shouting incoherently in some sort of battle cry. Naruto's head lowered slightly, and a blue glow enveloped him only seconds afterwards. His head came back up.

And he disappeared.

Haku looked around franticly with wide eyes, trying to find where the blonde had gone. He had left no afterimage, he had made no sound…it was as if he had simply vanished into thin air without so much as a wisp of a wake behind him.

The lead stone Nin looked around as well, alert, and slightly startled to see such speed. His kunai was raised even higher, and he stood stock still, eyes searching.

During this time, Kyuubi had successfully rendered one of the other stone Nin's arms effectively useless. However, he was recovering rather quickly. The stone Nin lashed out with his kunai, scoring a small scratch on Kyuubi's left leg, and then brought his Kunai around and threw it towards Kyuubi, who was in mid air.

She snatched the Kunai out of the air with her mouth, dropping it at the same time. The Nin went for another Kunai in his pouch and brought it back up, but Kyuubi was already upon him.

The third stone Nin, who up until now had simply been standing there, rushed over to his teammate who was dealing with Kyuubi, and made to gut the fox while it was distracted. He prepared to bring his Kunai down on her unsuspecting flank, and his eyes flashed slightly with victory.

Naruto appeared directly in front of him, and the Nin stopped cold, dropping his Kunai in the process. For a few moments, all parties paused.

The blonde boy was kneeling slightly, arms akimbo, with his left hand holding his sword in a reversed grip. Said sword was currently dripping blood.

Mostly because it was impaled through the stone Nin's stomach.

Naruto raised his head and looked at the lead stone Nin once more, casting him a glare filled with killing intent. Behind his mask, he smirked.

"It seems as though I was right to compare you to mercenaries. Though, I actually had to try that time."

The leader scowled, but chuckled at the same time. "Him? He was barely a Chuunin…he was a Genin until only about a month ago. He served his purpose."

Said Nin looked over at his commander with wide eyes. He was just alive enough to have heard what he said.

Grimacing, Naruto twisted his sword while still in the Nin's belly, and without ceremony, ripped it out the other side of the man, cutting through his kidneys and liver at the same time. The Nin was dead before he hit the grass.

Naruto stood and faced the commander, settling once again into his previous stance.

The lead stone Nin once again gave Naruto a sneer. "You kill well, kid. No ceremony, no flourishes…just clean cut death. I can admire that. When it comes time for me to deliver your deathblow, I'll make sure to give you the same courtesy."

Naruto simply looked up at him. "Death is death…whether I kill you from a sword wound, or kill you with a Jutsu…you're still dead. Unless I'm feeling particularly…bloodthirsty. In which case…well…take a look at some of the corpses in the village, and you'll see what I mean."

For just a moment…almost unnoticeable by anyone…the stone Nin's eyes flashed with fear.

But his face set itself back into a visage of arrogance shortly afterwards. He drew his Kunai back and flung it towards Naruto, starting on hand seals directly afterwards. Naruto cleanly dodged the kunai as he prepared himself for whatever Jutsu the stone Nin would throw at him.

"Doton: Retsudotensho!"

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, and Naruto prepared to activate the flow to close the distance once more.

Only to find that his feet wouldn't move.

Startled, he looked down at his feet, to see that he was caught squarely in a whirlpool of earth. It was spiraling around him at incredible speeds, and he was sinking rapidly, already down to his ankles.

Cursing slightly, he tried to dislodge his feet from the whirlpool with brute strength, to no effect. His mind ran through various and sundry ways in which he could escape. A thought occurred to him that he could use a Daitoppa directed at the ground to try to propel him out from the hole…or perhaps he could use a fire Jutsu and harden the earth below him, making it brittle, and more easily broken.

He discarded both ideas. The Daitoppa wouldn't have enough strength, and the Goukakyuu would fry him just as much as the ground.

Looking up, he saw the stone Nin smirking at him. "Pathetic. That's one of the most basic Doton style Jutsu's in Iwagakure's arsenal. If you can't even break free of that, then you don't even _deserve_ to be a ninja."

Naruto scowled but said nothing. He wouldn't be baited. He had to figure out a way to get out of his current predicament, and fast. He could already feel the earth surrounding his knees.

Certainly, there had to be some way the flow could help him here…but that was only suited for moving on a two dimensional plane. Moving up or even down was something that Kyuubi had never covered with him. That didn't mean it was impossible…but…

Focusing, he decided that it was the only way. If it didn't work, then he was dead anyway.

_Create…solidify…expand…_

He activated the flow around him, finding it hard to focus it around his feet, due to the chakra controlling the swirling motion of the Jutsu he was trapped in. Nevertheless, he managed to force it to envelop him completely.

Naruto thought, rather offhandedly, that if this worked…it might just make him completely rethink how the flow functioned.

Refocusing, he concentrated on the chakra field. Moving forwards, backwards and side to side was already natural to him…but this…this was something entirely new. He clenched his eyes shut and worked on redirecting the flow of his chakra…

Up against the tree, still…Haku looked on with fascination. Whatever this blue glow was…it seemed to be incredibly concentrated. He couldn't feel the chakra usage of the field at all, yet it was obviously _a lot_ of chakra, concentrated into one general location. It was almost like a shell.

Trying to move his feet again, Haku noticed that his left foot was now able to move without too much ado. He scowled and brought his Kunai up again. He would have to let the blonde boy…Naruto…finish this one.

Haku was about to try to draw on his chakra again, when he noticed it. A tremendous force, one unlike any he had ever felt before, began coming from the boy. It seemed to emanate from above him, and yet, from beside him at the same time. It looked almost ethereal, almost unseen at first, but it picked up force and speed, and began exerting enough force on the ground to crack the earth beneath him. It was almost as if gravity itself had increased in the small area surrounding the boy.

The earth began to splinter beneath him. The swirling earth was completely disrupted, and began to simply _stop_. More than that, the force surrounding him multiplied by factors unknown, and it began to force him upwards from the earth, unsheathing his shins, his ankles, and finally his feet from the earth.

And then he saw, for the first time in the Shinobi world, perhaps…the ability to fly.

Well…not _fly_ per se…but levitate, at least. The boy was standing on…nothing. He was literally a foot above the earth below him, and he showed no signs of dropping, or signs of there being anything holding him up save for his chakra. The downward force of…whatever it was…was still being exerted towards the ground, and it was keeping the blonde enigma firmly above the earth's plane.

If it weren't for the fact that Shinobi see _very_ strange things on a daily basis, Haku might have gasped.

Naruto opened his eyes, noting that he was free of the earthen whirlpool. He also noticed, with some amount of confusion, that he was approximately a foot taller than he had been before. Looking down, he saw that it hadn't been some insanely freakish growth spurt, but rather…_levitation_.

_Levitation?_

He lost his concentration on the field, and promptly fell back onto the ground, feet first. The ground around where had been standing was marred and cracked from the force he had been exerting, and it seemed as though there was a permanent indentation there. He tore his eyes away from his handiwork and looked back once again at the lead stone Nin, noting with some amount of satisfaction that the man was very much astonished.

"That…gaki…what…you…_what are you_?!"

Naruto grinned behind his mask, taking his 'ready' position for the third time. He subconsciously activated the flow.

"Dead men need not know my name."

The stone Nin took a step back.

Naruto charged.

In the blink of an eye, he was upon the man, slashing and stabbing as quickly as the flow would allow. He spun counterclockwise and took a low sweep at the man's knees, still bathed in the blue glow of Ryuudou. His movements were amplified, his strength unrestricted, his technique unhindered. To Naruto, it was the feeling of _freedom_.

The man blocked and dodged as quickly as he could, showing that he was definitely more skilled than his counterpart had been. Sword clashed with Kunai multiple times, and Naruto scored quite a few near-misses, cutting the man's flak vest and other articles of clothing many times, sometimes enough to nick his skin.

He disappeared and reappeared behind the man, going for a low stab that would have hit him squarely in the abdomen. The man dodged to the left and performed his own stabbing motion with his Kunai, hitting nothing but air, considering that Naruto was no longer there. He spun again wildly to his left as Naruto reappeared and went for a swirling slash motion towards the man's neck, missing it by centimeters as the man dodged backwards.

The man swung his kunai in a downward arc towards the top of Naruto's face, hoping to crack or penetrate his skull. Naruto brought his sword up into a high parry and began spinning once more, dodging and simultaneously blocking the forward progress of the man's kunai, throwing him slightly off balance. Seeing an opening, he spun again, clockwise, and made to slash the man's lower neck, gunning for the carotid sinus. With a backwards dodge, the man managed to evade the slash, but only by the slimmest of margins. The sword left a small, bleeding mark for its efforts.

With a very quick backwards flip, the man put distance between himself and Naruto, beginning hand seals as quickly as he could. Naruto sheathed his sword and began his own, anticipating a purely offensive Jutsu, much like the last time.

True to form, the man slammed his hands down on the ground and seemed to grasp at the earth. Leaning back up, he took a good sized chunk of ground with him, raising it up above him with both hands after forming it into an ovular shape.

"Doton: Doryuu Dango no Jutsu!"

The stone Nin hurled the huge earthen ball towards Naruto, who simply smirked and slammed his own hands onto the ground with as much force as he could muster.

"Doton: Doruki Gaeshi no Jutsu!"

A large slab of earth flipped up from the ground in front of Naruto and stood ramrod straight, facing the oncoming ball of concentrated rock. With a resounding crash, the two earth Jutsu slammed into each other, causing a massive amount of debris to be flung into the air, obscuring everyone's vision.

Kyuubi, however, was mostly unaffected. Debris notwithstanding, her nose was hundreds of times more effective than even Naruto's was. She could still smell her opponents blood through the haze, and she could tell that he was trying to retreat backwards to regroup…undoubtedly he was trying, in vain, to pop his elbow and shoulder joint back into place on his arm.

Bounding forwards in the direction of where she smelled the blood, Kyuubi struck.

Naruto on the other hand, was only barely able to smell his target through the haze, as the smell of earth was very strong in his nostrils. Nevertheless, he had a general direction in which to aim. Making the requisite hand seals for the Jutsu he was going to use, he thrust his hands out into the miasma of dust.

"Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

A massive cone of wind materialized from right in front of Naruto's outturned palms, blowing away most of the dust in front of him. The embedded wind blades in the Jutsu tore through massive chunks of upturned earth on the way towards their intended target, and as the dust cleared, Naruto could plainly see the stone Nin looking around him, trying in vain to find Naruto through the haze that had just cleared.

Unluckily for him, it was too late. The wind blades embedded in the Jutsu slammed into him, cutting him deeply all across his body. He was blown back into a tree, where he grimaced in pain and slumped over, clutching his chest.

Naruto sighed slightly and began to walk over towards the stone Nin, readying himself to give the final blow. He noticed offhandedly that Kyuubi was trotting up to him from his left, blood on her muzzle and paws. He gave her a small smile.

Haku watched all of this with astonished curiosity. This blonde boy had taken out three stone Nin, with little effort on his part. Granted, each Nin couldn't have been more than Chuunin level at most, but combined, they should have been more than enough to defeat a child and his fox.

The thought didn't quite occur to Haku that he was only a few years older than the boy standing only a few meters from him, and that he himself had killed his own fair share of the stone Nin as well.

Standing only a few meters in front of the heavily injured stone Nin, Naruto knelt down and brought his sword in front of him. The thought crossed his mind that he didn't really have to kill this Nin…but he disregarded even the notion. Were the positions reversed, the other man wouldn't have any qualms about finishing _him_ off.

"You're good…kid…never seen a Shinobi like you. I can…" the man coughed a few times, splattering blood onto the ground.

Wiping his mouth, he heaved in a deep breath. "…I can definitely see why I lost. Heh…imagine…me, losing to a kid less than half my age. It's disgraceful."

Naruto sighed and stood, bringing his hands into a cross grip on his sword, in a typical beheading stance. "Naruto. My name's Naruto. You asked earlier…and I figure that you should at least know the name of the person who killed you."

The stone Nin looked up with a chagrined smile. "Yeah. Kid…listen…make a name for yourself. That way…when I tell everyone down in hell…" he let forth another rattling cough, holding his stomach.

The man breathed a deep sigh again, and looked up with an almost pleading expression. "…when I tell everyone in hell who killed me, at least they'll know that I died from someone powerful, and not some idiot."

A stiff wind blew through the clearing, stirring up a few leaves and ruffling Naruto's blonde hair.

"Yeah. I'll do that."

Naruto swept his sword in a diagonal arc across the man's neck, separating his head from his torso. The man's neck sprayed blood for a moment only, before the man's body slumped to the side and his head hit the ground with a small thump.

For a moment, everyone present was silent. Naruto released his cross grip on his sword and let his sword-hand rest loosely at his side. Kyuubi just sat next to him, staring at the now dead man…and Haku's expression darkened only slightly, having been subjected to such things before.

Naruto thought, with a grimace…that if any kill should be considered his first…it was this one. This was his first true _Shinobi_ kill. He had pitted his life against another man's life in mortal combat, and come out on top. In the Shinobi world…the one who lost was dead, and the one who won lived. Perhaps that was the crux of the entire profession. It was all just a bloody tournament waged over centuries, taking lives both young and old and throwing them against each other, to see which one's held the most worth.

The strong survived, the weak died. That was how Shinobi lived.

He sighed and directed chakra into his sword, cleaning it of any detritus, before sheathing it on his back.

Looking over at Haku, he also realized that Shinobi lived to protect. It went against all of a man's natural instincts…but for whatever reason, Shinobi…Shinobi that hadn't lost their way…put their lives on the line to protect. It was as if they were defying the very thing they lived for…protect the weak from the strong, but be strong enough to make the strong seem weak.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Naruto stopped the self introspection.

"Oi, are you alright? The guy under you looks like he's in pretty bad shape."

Haku looked over at Naruto who was walking towards him at a leisurely pace and gave him a small, but genuine smile. "I…should be fine, yes. This man who I am protecting was recently injured, however. If you have anything that could help him…"

Naruto took off his mask and put it back on his belt, giving Haku an only somewhat fake foxy grin. "You're in luck…I'm a medic Nin. I can probably fix him up rather easily, assuming I find out what's wrong with him. But it can wait until we get back to where I'm staying, right? Performing medical duties out here would be a bit…awkward."

At this, Haku tensed, but hesitantly nodded. "Yes…we can return to where you are currently staying, if you will help Za…er…my master."

Naruto continued to grin. "Right then. I have some business to finish up with –"

"Nah, I already did it."

Naruto turned around quickly and backed up a few steps, wearing a startled expression. "Damn it, don't sneak up on me like that! And what do you mean, 'you already did it'?"

Inari gave Naruto a slightly sheepish expression. "Heh, sorry…not exactly used to moving as a Human. Anyway, your request…I already granted it. I gave her back a body, a physical body. It isn't her old body, mostly because that's currently being digested in the stomach of the Shinigami, but it's a physical body nonetheless…she'll have to train it to accept more of her chakra, like a new body, but in time, she should be able to control a fair amount of her former power."

Haku noticed the blonde boy's eyes soften slightly. "…good. Thanks. I really appreciate it."

The red haired man shrugged and ruffled the blonde's hair, earning a snort of petulance from him. "Hey, I said I'd grant a request, and I did. Although…I'm quite curious as to why you made the request you did. Was it out of some sort of selfless feeling, or did you feel sorry for her?"

Naruto glanced over at Kyuubi, and saw that she was looking downwards. Even in her fox form, she looked apprehensive, almost dreading the answer. He looked back up and gazed once again into Inari's eyes, showing determination.

"She's done a lot for me, and she hasn't gotten hardly anything in return. Yeah, she did some messed up stuff…but I'm not going to hold that against her. The fact of the matter is that I wouldn't be who I am today without her help…and all she has to show for it in return is the ability to manifest outside of the seal as a fox. I guess…I thought she deserved something in return."

Haku's eyebrows rose considerably. He had no idea what they were talking about, and he didn't _really_ care…but whatever it was, she filed it away for future reference…in case he ever turned out to be an enemy.

Inari looked at Naruto and smiled genuinely, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That's selflessness, Naruto. And I think…it was a good decision. You and Kyuubi will make a good team."

Naruto put a hand behind his head sheepishly and chuckled in the same manner.

"Well…I'll leave you to whatever it is you have to do. I got some paperwork to fill out upstairs anyway. Take care of each other, you hear me? Oh, and Naruto…"

Inari gave Naruto a lopsided grin. "We need to go out for a drink sometime. I get the feeling you'd be quite entertaining when you're drunk."

The blonde gave Inari what amounted to an 'evil' grin. "Oh…most definitely."

The demigod turned his back and started walking away, waving over his shoulder. "Adios. Till we meet again."

And with that, he promptly disappeared.

For a moment, everyone in the clearing was silent. That is, until Naruto sighed deeply and turned back towards Haku.

"Right then. I'll carry you, and my fox can carry the dude who looks beat up. That work for you?"

Haku simply nodded.

Naruto walked up to Haku and gathered him up, making sure not to jostle him too much. Kyuubi walked up to the other man and wrapped a tail around his torso, slinging him over her back. Both parties began walking in the general direction of the house where they were staying.

After a few minutes, Naruto delved into his link with Kyuubi.

'_Ne, Kyuubi…what does 'Adios' mean?'_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rouhi-sama…the scout has reported back. He asks to see you personally."

Said old man swiveled around in his chair and gave his messenger an impassive stare.

"Send him in."

"Hai, Rouhi-sama."

The messenger darted out of the room. A few moments later, a Nin clothed in forest camouflage entered the room and bowed on one knee in front of his commander.

"Rouhi-sama…I have much to report."

Rouhi raised an eyebrow, giving him an unspoken cue to continue.

Clearing his throat, the scout did just that. "As you instructed, I tailed our target throughout the past day. I have come across some rather…interesting…occurrences. First and foremost…it looks as though the Kyuubi can freely manifest, something that we were not privy to before."

The old man raised his other eyebrow.

"Secondly…the mist nukenin that you gave orders to attack escaped, just as you ordered. We lost approximately twenty Nin to them in total and another three to the target once they arrived. As you expected, the boy took them in and is currently transporting them back to their base of operations."

Rouhi smiled slightly, tapping his finger on the end of his mahogany chair. "The boy has no idea that we are after him specifically?"

The scout shook his head. "No, Rouhi-sama. The Nin we sent after the nukenin were of the lower ranks, and were not made privy to the knowledge of the target of our mission. They did not reveal our presence or our objective to him."

The grey haired man smiled wider. "Good. Continue."

The scout nodded. "As you expected, he is very skilled…much more skilled than the intelligence we have on him would suggest. His defeat of our three Nin was not effortless by any means, but much easier than we anticipated. I would place him at somewhere around mid Chuunin level in overall skill. More than that, he has a fox that fights with him in battle, who is fearsome in her own right…I believe sir, that it is indeed the Kyuubi manifest."

Rouhi waved his hand in dismissal. "Jinchuuriki manifesting their Bijuu in various ways is not unheard of. We will deal with it when the time comes. What else were you able to glean?"

At this, the scout seemed to tense visibly. His head rose and he looked Rouhi directly in the eye, something that he would not have done if the situation hadn't called for it.

"Sir…I believe that this entire operation is lost, based on the last bit of information I was able to obtain."

Rouhi sat up straight in his chair and glared at the scout. "Oh? And what piece of information is this?"

The scout tensed further. "I…I believe sir, that he…had a conversation with a _god_, sir."

The old man narrowed his eyes. "…what?"

Under Rouhi's intense glare, the scout shivered. "He…he attempted to perform the Kuchiyose no Jutsu, sir…however, he did not, or was not able to produce a workable summon. Instead…he summoned a _man_. This man referred to himself as Inari…_the_ demigod Inari. He did nothing to make me think that he was indeed a demigod…however he commanded tremendous respect from the Kyuubi manifestation. From everything we know about Kyuubi, we know that it holds a tremendous arrogance…and for it to show such respect to anything…"

The scout looked up and stared at his commander with panicked eyes. "Sir, if it was indeed Inari, then we cannot proceed with the operation! We cannot hope to compete with the favored of a _god_! Son of Yondaime or not, this –"

Rouhi abruptly stood and picked up his cane, pulling on the top and drawing a hidden sword. With a deft swipe that held speed belying his years, the scouts head fell onto the floor, and his corpse fell to the ornate carpet, blood soaking through.

He sighed and wiped his sword-cane on the man's camouflage clothing, sheathing it with a distinct metal sound. Flaring his chakra only briefly, an attendant came into the room. Rouhi noticed that the man didn't even flinch at the sight of the room.

"Take this corpse somewhere and dispose of it. List him as killed in action."

"Hai, Rouhi-sama."

The attendant quickly dragged the corpse out of the room, and came back to snatch the head, heading off to parts unknown to make sure the body was 'disposed' of. Rouhi simply sighed again and sat back down in his chair.

He didn't have need of Nin who believed in such myths and fairy tales. Nor did he have a use for subordinates who lost their backbone at the slightest sign that a plan was going wrong.

Not that his plan was going wrong.

The old man leaned back in the chair and swiveled back to face the desk, picking up his book in the process. Everything was going almost strictly according to plan. Their bait was secure, the prey was being led into a trap, and most importantly, his 'contact' in Konoha was making sure that the brat didn't receive backup.

He smiled. It came out as a near sneer.

Unless the brat had some kid of army at this point…he was as good as finished.

He would regret not allowing his scout to finish his report.

---------------------------------------------------------------

As a general rule, Naruto didn't appreciate silence.

Hence why he was irritated with Kyuubi.

'_Damn it Kyuubi, what's wrong? You've been quiet as hell ever since the fight…what's up?!'_

Silence.

Subconsciously, Naruto growled.

'_Kyuubi…Kyuuuuuubi…Kyuubi! For the love of Kami…'_

'_**Naruto...did it ever occur to you that I'm not really in the mood to talk?'**_

He scowled.

'_No, not really. Considering everything that's happened in the past hour or two, I'd say that talking about it all would be pretty much _first_ on the list of priorities.'_

Through the link, he could hear Kyuubi mentally sigh.

'_**Listen…Naruto…I'm happy to have my body back. I'm happy we kicked ass. I'm happy that you got command of an army. Really. I'm just…thinking. Alright? We can talk about it later, but for now…just let me absorb some of this, alright?'**_

Naruto's expression softened.

'_Right. Just let me know when you're ready.'_

'_**Thanks. Really.'**_

Naruto simply smiled, which Kyuubi was able to feel at least somewhat through the empathetic link.

Turning to the girl in his arms, he flashed another grin, noting that the girl was deep in thought on something.

"So, we never did get properly introduced. As I said before, my name's Naruto, and the fox over there is my pet Vix. We're ninja of Konoha."

The girl broke from her thoughts and gave him a look of only somewhat forced congeniality. Inside, Haku was feeling anything but. If these were Ninja of Konoha…what were they here for? Were they friends of the ones Zabuza had fought earlier? He mentally berated himself for not noticing his forehead protector earlier.

"Ko…Konoha Ninja? What are you here in wave country for?"

Naruto's grin dimmed slightly. "Some of our friends were hurt…and captured…and we were sent here to rescue them. That, and we were sent to liberate wave country from under the oppressive aims of this 'Gato' person."

Haku tensed. He desperately wished he could reach for a senbon.

Naruto's grin completely vanished. "But so far, all we've managed to do is kill a few hundred mercenaries, and get one of our team members captured. We have no idea where they're keeping her, or my other friend who was captured. Hopefully…we can find them."

Haku's mind started to work franticly. Captured…two Nin from Konoha, captured. Hadn't he heard something about two Genin Kunoichi being held within the compound? And that white eyed girl…he had been sure that he had seen Nin entering the compound with her slung over her shoulder.

Could…could he be talking about…

"Kurenai-sensei! I found these two in the forest, being attacked by Nin! We got an extra bed or two?"

Haku's head whipped around to see that they were approaching a house on the water. A red eyed, black haired woman was in the process of turning around to greet them.

He wished…somehow…that he could grab Zabuza and _run_. This was quite possibly the worst scenario they could have been in.

Naruto was astounded at the speed Kurenai came towards them at.

And he wondered offhandedly why she was wielding a Kunai.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Not so much a cliffy…but still a little something to keep you wanting more.

Some of you, obviously, will be confused at the fact that I keep using 'he' 'she' 'her' 'him' in various ways to describe Haku. Trust me when I say that there is a reason for this. All will be explained, my pretties.

Also, remember that Naruto has no idea what Haku and Zabuza look like. As far as he's concerned, they're just travelers out there in the forest getting attacked by Iwa Nin.

The ending seems a bit rushed to me, but…there's nothing to be done for it. Sorry :(. Hell, I don't much like how I wrote this chapter at all.

Right then. Let me know how you love/hate this chapter, and I'll see you next time.

(Oh, and so far…no one has gotten the bloodline I hinted at last chapter. I'm safe! Bwahahahahahahahaha.)


	12. Plans, Alliances, One Purpose

Took a while, eh? Sorry about that. Even authors have real lives…and mine just kinda took off over the summer like a jet. Combine that with copious amounts of partying, taking a few trips, and horrible writers block…and well, you can kinda understand why this took as long as it did. Even if you don't…_try_ to.

I said it in the second chapter, didn't I? Come hell or high water, this thing will be finished. It might just take longer sometimes than you might want, or I might want. Life can be a bitch like that.

Right, enough of that.

I wanted to take this opportunity to give credit where credit is due. If it weren't for others who give me help where I need it, this fic wouldn't be half of what it was. There are other people who I need to give some recognition to, and they _really_ deserve it.

Islagatt: _**My**_ beta (get your own), and general idea-tester. Great guy. Has been invaluable thus far. Really. This fiction would probably suck without his input. Excellent writer. Can't say enough good stuff about this dude. Oh, and I am his personal Itachi. Can you imagine reading 25-35k words in a single sitting, having to comb over everything? Yeah. I thought not.

Causeiambetta: Another idea-tester, and he's also a great source of information on psychology. Given me plenty of inspiration over the time I've known him. That, and he's a smart freaking dude that's on the up and up with what's going on around the world. He and I have matching tin-foil hats.

Lutris Argutiae: Translations de jour and everything you could ever want to know about Japan, its culture, and beliefs. Really, online translators and encyclopedias ain't got nothing on this guy. Most of the original Jutsu that I plan on using in this fic come directly from him. I hear he's published a story here…pretty damned good too.

TheVoidWalker: This guy…lets just say that he knows his explosives, or knows someone who does. If you guys had seen some of the conversations we've had…well, I'd have the FBI knocking on my door, that much is for sure.

LD1449: Another writer I run ideas by and brainstorm with and shoot the shit with. Great guy, great writer. Check his fics out. _Now_. And for the record, Inuzuka Hana is _hot_. Like…I'd go furry for that shit. ( Islagatt's Note: I'd hit it! )

Rihaku: Recently began chatting with him after I read 'Break the World'. The dude is _smart_. I mean…good god. Really, you'd have to chat with him to get a real idea of just how smart he is. Needless to say, he's smarter than I am. Another dude who I run shit by, and generally, respect the opinion of.

There are probably more people in all likelihood…if I've forgotten you, let me know. Otherwise, these guys are some of the reasons why this fic is as good as it is. Check out their stuff, give them props, all that other good stuff. Rock on.

The Haku gender debate is solved…mostly. I'll explain more later. For now, y'all can refer to her as a her. Sorry for any confusion.

Also, I'd like you all to remember that at the moment, Kyuubi is a tad perturbed with Naruto, and no, I haven't given the reason yet. Just assume as much, or read the last paragraph of the last chapter, if you need to. It's been a while, so I figure it's necessary to give you a refresher.

I know a lot of you read the manga, and I know that you've read about Naruto's parents. Their names are obviously _not_ what I have in this fic. Hell, his mom is _certainly_ not an Uchiha.

As such, I don't plan on messing with his mom. That stays.

But…I went back into every chapter, and edited out every instance of 'Kazama' and 'Arashi', replacing them with the proper monikers instead. This story name is now 'The Dichotomy of Namikaze Naruto'. Assuming Kishi doesn't change names on us again, this will be permanent.

Also, just as an FYI, I think I'm going to go back and edit a few of my chapters. Looking back on them now, I cringe at some of the mistakes I made. I'm not going to change anything that affects the plot; however I am going to correct spelling errors, grammar errors and probably a few repetitive use errors as well. Might delay the next chapter a tad.

Any who, as always, I don't own a thing pertaining to Naruto. Kishimoto owns Naruto. Kishimoto is _really really_ rich. That son of a bitch.

( Islagatt, shouting from the background: Kishimoto can't write worth shit either! )

Indeed.

On with the story.

---------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

It was much to his surprise, and relief, that Kurenai stopped short of actually stabbing him.

Or rather, the person he was carrying.

Instead, she was standing only a few feet in front of him, Kunai bared in a defensive stance. She was staring directly at Haku, leveling a glare at the girl that would have melted ice, if Haku had been in possession of the chakra to make it.

"Naruto, put them down and back away…those are the Nin that my team encountered when we first got here."

His eyes widened. He looked down to see that the girl he was carrying seemed to be both flustered, scared and resigned at the same time. He played with the idea of doing exactly what Kurenai had ordered. On one hand, if these were indeed the Nin that had confronted Kurenai during her initial encounter, they were undoubtedly the enemy. On the other hand, even if they were the enemy, neither had made any sort of motion of hostility towards him during their encounter.

But most of all, neither seemed to be in a condition to fight. That was obviously Kurenai's intention. Or rather, her intention was to probably execute them.

"No need. They're both subdued, Kurenai-sensei. They won't be putting up a fight any time soon."

Kurenai narrowed her eyes. "That's not the point. Do as I say, Naruto."

Perhaps surprising to all parties present, Naruto bent his knees and softy set the girl on the ground. He stood back up slowly, before reaching to his back and grasping the hilt of his sword, looking up at Kurenai in the process.

"No. I said, they're subdued. They aren't going to be putting up a fight. I didn't just kill three stone Nin to save these two, just so I could bring them back to be executed by _you_."

The red eyed Jounin's eyes widened considerably, as her face softened into one of utmost surprise. "…Iwa Nin? Naruto…did you just say…"

Naruto simply nodded.

A timid yet determined voice spoke up from the ground. "…Kurenai-san…we are no longer enemies. Zabuza and I have no reason to pursue you or your friends any longer. We were…betrayed…by Gato and his horde of Iwa Nin. We were simply following orders before."

Kurenai's surprise melted into rage as she looked back down at Haku once more. "Shut up. One of my charges was captured because of you and your _master_, so I don't want to hear anything about 'simply following orders'!"

To Haku's credit, she didn't flinch under the intense gaze of the Jounin. "I understand. I was unaware of that situation until Naruto-san informed me of it on the way here. I believe…that I may have information on where she is being kept."

Now it was Naruto's turn to look surprised. "You do? Where?! Where is she?! Can you take us to her?"

Haku turned her head to look at the blonde who was now kneeling directly to her left. "Hai. I do indeed know where she is…however, I am currently too injured to take you to her. I believe that my…directions…would be woefully inaccurate."

The ice-Nin hoped beyond hope that they bought it. In reality, she was holding out to see if they could heal Zabuza before she gave them any information. Perhaps they could heal her too. Then they would be able to make an escape…

"It's alright. You left a scent trail, I think…and if you came from the place where Hinata was being kept, Kakashi or I can probably track it. Right…Kurenai, lets get them inside, and then we can wake the others."

Haku grimaced. If they could already track where she came from, then she had nothing to hold over them. Internally, she started making plans to escape by using whatever means were necessary. Zabuza had to survive.

The red eyed Jounin gave Naruto a pointed glare. "If they left a scent trail, then they aren't useful to us anymore. They'd just be more mouths to feed, and regardless of what he said, they're still enemies."

Naruto put down his confusion at Kurenai calling Haku a 'he'. Instead, he focused on returning Kurenai's glare. "I think that _she_ is telling the truth. They're not enemies. They have no more reason to hurt us now than we do them."

Kurenai shook her head and if possible, her glare increased. "They're nukenin, Naruto. Nukenin cannot _ever_ be trusted. You must always assume that Nukenin are the enemy. _Always_. I understand that you just saved them from some Iwa Nin, Naruto, but we cannot take the chance that they won't try to kill us at some point when our guard is down. That boy is dangerous, even when injured."

Instead of glaring back and arguing the point further, Naruto simply unsheathed his sword and put it to Haku's neck. Haku, stunned, simply froze, but readied his left hand to make seals. Even if he couldn't form ice needles at the moment, he might be able to do…_something_…if it came down to it.

Naruto's sword remained static. "Kurenai, if they try _anything_, I will kill them both myself. I'll take full responsibility for them while they're here, and I'll make sure they're under full surveillance. Is that good enough for you?"

Kurenai's eyes narrowed. "How can you possibly keep them under surveillance the entire time? And don't tell me that you won't sleep, because I'm sure that Kakashi won't allow that."

Prepared for this, Naruto simply bit his thumb, hoping beyond hope that this worked the way it should.

Then again, he hadn't even read the scroll yet.

As he formed the necessary seals, Kurenai's eyes widened. She recognized those. That was…a summoning Jutsu. How…how could this boy possibly possess a summoning contract? Moreover, what was he planning on summoning? She played with the idea, for only a second, of stopping him…but her own curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to see this.

Naruto completed the last seal. Raising his hand up, he brought it down and slammed it on the ground as hard as he could. It wasn't necessary, but this was his first _real_ summoning. It needed to look cool.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Immediately, smoke filled the area, accompanying a loud popping sound from within the shroud. Narrowing her eyes, Kurenai tried to see through the haze towards where Naruto had performed the Jutsu, but upon realizing that the shroud was much too thick, she simply held her defensive stance and waited for the smoke to clear.

Naruto, closer to the originating point, simply stood and waited for whatever was to come.

Moments later, a small gust of wind made its way across the area they were standing in, blowing away the smoke and revealing what had been summoned.

Kurenai gasped.

Standing in front of Naruto, in a tri-point formation, were three small yet bulky ocher colored foxes. Kurenai estimated that they were probably about one and a half feet tall, but their impressive width and obvious muscle showed that they were definitely well bred. Each looked almost identical, sporting white muzzles and white tipped ears, along with white feet that went up to their first joint. Their eyes were black and beady, yet held intelligence behind them that Kurenai had never quite seen in any animal before, save for the Inuzuka's dogs or Kakashi's own tracking hounds.

Perhaps the most astounding aspect however, was the fact that each fox had two tails. These were not normal foxes.

Of course, they were summoned foxes. But that left the question…how on earth did _anyone_ get a contract with _Foxes_?

She was suddenly reminded of just what Naruto was. The implications both frightened and confused her.

The fox in the middle, marked with a small black spot on its forehead, blinked once and turned around, facing his summoner. Once the fox had gotten an eyeful of Naruto, he sat on his haunches and bowed his head slightly, laying his ears back on his head.

"Naruto-sama, I presume? We have received word that you are our new Taishou. It is an honor. Myself and my two pack mates are eager to serve."

Naruto's eyes widened almost comically. "You…you can talk? Like, with your mouths and stuff? I mean, I can communicate with Ky…er, Vix with like telepathy and stuff, but you…can actually _talk_?"

The lead fox turned its head in a decidedly cute…at least to Kurenai…vulpine way and gave what amounted to a nod. "Yes, Naruto-sama. I had thought that the scroll you were given would have explained this to you."

'Naruto-sama' scratched the back of his head slightly sheepishly. "Heh, I haven't actually read that yet. I just kinda needed you guys and summoned you here…hopefully that's alright…"

The fox yipped a few times, making them sound strangely like a chuckle. "It is quite alright, Naruto-sama. We are here to serve. Please, command us as you wish. You can read the scroll later."

Naruto immediately became serious, as his complexion darkened slightly. "Right. I need you to keep" he pointed over towards where Haku and Zabuza were "…those two people under…surveillance…for the time being. They are not prisoners; however, they are not guests at the moment. I need you three to see to it that they do not attempt to harm any one of my team mates, or anyone else for that matter…and that they do not attempt to escape. Understood?"

The fox with the black dot on his head immediately stood and bowed its head towards Naruto. "Hai, Taishou. We shall carry out your orders."

With that, the foxes turned around in unison and began trotting towards where their charges were laying on the ground. While walking, one could easily make out the tight sinewy muscle that surrounded them, and it gave them an almost predatory appearance. Their tails flicked around almost like a snakes tongue in the air, and they had almost tunnel vision trained on both Haku and Zabuza.

However, when they passed Kyuubi, the black-dotted one stopped for a moment. He looked over towards the red-furred visage of Kyuubi and locked eyes with her for just a moment.

He bared his fangs, and growled.

She did the same.

Only to be stopped by Naruto placing himself between her and the other fox.

He gave a hard and pointed look towards the black-dotted fox, lacing it with only a small amount of Ki. "We won't be having any of that. You can settle differences later, for now, the mission comes first. Understood?"

The fox widened his eyes slightly at the killing intent being directed towards him. It felt…very much…like _hers_.

"…Hai, Naruto-sama. I apologize."

Naruto simply nodded and turned away, walking towards Haku. With a deft scoop, the girl…boy…whatever…was in his arms bridal style once more. He received a surprised yelp from Haku for his efforts.

Bah, Kurenai had him confused. This was very obviously a girl. The smell, the feel, the facial structure, the voice…yes, this one was definitely a girl.

Throwing a smile to the girl in his arms, he made to make amends. "Sorry about this…_I_ know you're not dangerous, but Kurenai's still a bit steamed about the whole arm getting chopped off thing. Can't say I blame her, but…what can you do, eh? Heh…"

Haku returned his smile with a slightly uneasy one of her own. "Hai, I understand. It's alright."

As Naruto's smile widened, he began walking towards the house once again, foxes trailing behind him. Kyuubi was still carrying Zabuza on her back, and Kurenai followed him cautiously, kunai still in hand.

Haku however, was thinking a mile a minute.

None of this was alright. Not a bit of it. He was in no condition to fight, even if he were to be healed…he had chakra exhaustion…Zabuza was incapacitated indefinitely, and they would have three summoned foxes watching their every move. More than that, they would be in a house full of Ninja, with no visible recourse of escape, and with limited allies.

He realized with a start, that the only thing keeping them alive right now was Naruto's intervention on their behalf.

Their lives were in the hands of the blonde boy that was currently carrying him. There was nothing he could do, nothing Zabuza could do, and there would be no one coming to get them. Whether they lived or died rested solely in his ability keep the others from killing them.

He wasn't sure if that was a prospect he should be afraid of…or…

He felt Naruto's arms contract around his body slightly more, as his face took on a slightly more determined look. It looked as though he was thinking about something rather hard.

Naruto lowered his voice considerably. "Haku…I need to know. I need to know that I'm not just putting my ass on the line for nothing here. You and Zabuza aren't in any condition to fight…so you're pretty much at _my_ mercy right now…and I'm all that's standing between you and execution. So you need to tell me, right now…truthfully…"

He looked down at the girl who would be a boy.

"Are you, or are you not, my enemy?"

Haku did all she could in the situation. The boy was spot on. They were at his mercy. Lying would do no good.

"No. We are not your enemy. Not anymore."

The boy who was looking down at her with piercingly black eyes seemed to simply stare at her, not even giving her any indication that he had heard her.

In fact, Naruto was checking her smell and listening to her heart. He smelled nothing out of the ordinary to sense that she was lying. No hint of extra perspiration, no increased heart rate, and he couldn't even smell the tell tale scent of extra adrenal excretions.

She was telling the truth.

He looked back up and his expression softened slightly. "Then you shall come to no harm while you're my responsibility. I won't let them execute either of you…so long as your stance doesn't change. I don't trust you. Not yet. But I'm…I'm willing to at least give you the benefit of the doubt."

Haku literally shuddered from the relief that coursed through her veins at hearing that. Zabuza would not be hurt. She…

He…_He_…not She…

…Would not be hurt either. They were safe, at least for the time being.

Without even realizing it, Haku drifted off to a deep, consuming sleep, succumbing to the exhaustion of the past few days. It was the first good rest he had experienced in years.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

There wasn't much that got Kakashi nervous. Years of service in both war and ANBU had desensitized him to much of what the world could throw at him. More than that, he had cultivated a calm and cool…if perverted…personality over the years that didn't suffer such things as nervousness and apprehension.

And then the Kyuubi came along.

When you suffer enormous losses…hundreds dead…a good fourth of a village destroyed…your mentor, sensei and almost father figure _killed_…

By a _fox_…

You gain a bit of an aversion to the things.

Hence, when Kakashi walked down stairs after being summoned by a rather perturbed Kurenai, and saw three foxes standing there…he was…

_Nervous_.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei…I asked you a question. Hello? Helooooooo?"

Kakashi immediately snapped out of his internal monologue and looked down at his blonde haired student, giving him an eye-smile that belied none of his nervousness. "Sorry, I was thinking about…well, you're too young…"

Naruto scowled at him. "Hardly, but that's not the point. I was asking you, what do you want me to do with them?"

The silver haired Jounin looked over at the two unconscious or perhaps simply comatose 'prisoners' and gained a thoughtful air about him.

On one hand, by what Kurenai had told him, these two had been part of the reason why this whole mess had gotten out of hand in the first place. On the other hand, Naruto _swore_ that they were no longer enemies. He had overheard Kurenai and Naruto arguing that point at least. Naruto was very vehement in declaring that both Haku and Zabuza were no longer threats to them…and Kurenai was equally as vehement in declaring the opposite. Kurenai, at least though, had calmed down slightly. This led him to believe that she was willing to at least cede the point.

"Put them in the room with Kiba and Shino…and then heal them. Or rather, heal Haku, and wait until I'm in the room to heal Zabuza. Also, see if you can't patch Kiba and Shino up more than they are now…we could use them later."

Kurenai nearly burst a vein. "I won't have you putting _them_ into the same room as my team! Is everyone here forgetting that these two are responsible for most of this in the first place?!"

Kakashi trained his lazy eye on the red eyed Jounin. "Nope, haven't forgotten…but for now, this is the best solution."

In response, she narrowed her eyes at Kakashi and put as much killing intent in her gaze as she could. "You will _not_ put those two nukenin in the same room as _my_ team, Kakashi. Are we clear?"

Much to her surprise, her gaze was returned. Kakashi narrowed his own visible eye considerably, and overpowered her own killing intent with his own ridiculously large amount. Kurenai nearly quailed at the strength it had.

"_I_ am the one in charge of this mission, Kurenai. Not you. You will _not_ give me orders, so long as we are on this mission. I will not suffer insubordination. Are _we_ clear, Kurenai-_san_?"

Still pinned by Ki, she could only nod shakily.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the killing intent in the air disappeared, replaced by Kakashi's cheerfully lazy expression. "Good! Naruto, go ahead and take them to the room and do as I said before. I'll go wake the others."

Naruto, who had been standing idly by during the exchange, simply nodded and carried Haku into the back room, followed by his three foxes and Kyuubi, carrying Zabuza.

Kakashi, true to what he said, walked upstairs lazily, making to wake the others from their slumber.

Kurenai…simply shook her head and sighed shakily. She had forgotten what kind of killing intent ANBU members possessed. What was she thinking, trying to order _the_ Hatake Kakashi around? The man could kill her before she had time to blink.

She simply turned around and went back outside, taking her post on the roof once more.

After a few minutes, a small parade of people came downstairs. Kakashi was followed by a sleepy looking Anko and Iruka, while Sasuke looked much as he always did. If one looked close enough, however, they would see small lines at the edge of his eyes, denoting his own lack of sleep.

Walking into the back room, they saw Naruto kneeling over the prone form of what looked to be a girl, green healing chakra covering his hands. The girl had an almost peaceful expression on her face, but she was obviously asleep. Directly behind Naruto lay a masked and decidedly worse-for-the-wear man who had a massive zanbato lying parallel to him on the ground. His eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling.

All eyes, however, noticed the three foxes that were surreptitiously seated at the edges of the room, looking intently at the two forms near Naruto. One was in front of the prone forms of Kiba and Shino, acting as almost a barrier, should anything go wrong. Kurenai, who by now had come in to 'supervise' the whole thing, was leaning on the wall closest to the door outside, switching between glaring at the masked man and looking almost apprehensively at the foxes.

Though they didn't show it, Anko and Iruka had much the same reaction to the foxes as Kakashi did. Foxes were an almost taboo subject in Konoha, and seeing three two-tailed foxes sitting leisurely in the room was a bit…_unnerving_ to say the least.

"Oi, who're these two? And why are they so roughed up?" Anko took a wall directly opposite as she quietly drew a kunai from her holster.

Kurenai looked up at her and gave a mostly silent huff. "Zabuza and his apprentice, Haku. They're the two that tried to kill me and my team when we first got here."

Anko and Iruka's eyes widened. Without anyone noticing him, Sasuke took to leaning on the wall directly to the other side of Haku, paralleling Naruto.

Kakashi chose that moment to intervene. "Maa, they're not enemies any longer…according to Naruto at least." He took up his own wall to lean against, close to Shino and Kiba. He sent a questioning glance towards Naruto. "I am curious though…how _did_ they get so roughed up…and how did you find them anyway?"

Naruto, who was still focused on healing Haku, sighed slightly. "It's a bit of a long story. The condensed version is that I went out into the forest, did some training in a clearing, and then I heard a fight going on a little to the north of me in the forest. When I got there, Zabuza was unconscious…or something like that…and Haku was really badly injured. A few seconds after that, a few stone Nin showed up –"

"WHAT?!"

Kakashi shot up from the wall and let his arms go slack at his side, his eyes wide. Stone Nin? Here? More than that, Naruto had _fought_ Stone Nin?

What on earth were Stone Nin doing here? Moreover…why were they attacking Zabuza and Haku? Were there more of them? Questions popped up in Kakashi's mind one after another, none of them finding answers.

Naruto just looked at him and shrugged, returning his focus to healing Haku. "Yeah. Stone Nin. Three of 'em, actually. Two of them were probably nothing more than Genin-turned-Chuunin…but the one I fought was pretty damned skilled. I managed to kill one right off the bat, and then Vix killed another one, but the last one…I think he was their commander…gave me trouble. If it weren't for me finding a very new use for my…sword style…I would probably be rotting six feet under by now."

Unseen to the rest of the room, Kakashi clenched his fists. There was no love lost between him and Iwa Nin. That much was absolutely certain. To hear that Naruto…someone he desperately wanted to protect…had _fought_ Iwa Nin…

When he next spoke, his voice was as cold as ice…and his tone was subdued, yet carried an air of authority to it that no one in the room had ever heard.

"This changes everything. Stone Nin are known for their overwhelming numbers in battle. They fight by attrition. Quantity over quality. If you fought three, there may be thirty more out there. If they were attacking Zabuza and Haku…they may be working for Gato."

Naruto's eyes widened.

As did everyone else's.

Kakashi bowed his head slightly, his visible eye gaining an edge to it, before he brought it back up and gazed around the room. Everyone present was awed and scared by the literal one hundred and eighty degree turn that Kakashi's personality had taken. He had hardened, sharpened…

Anko, Kurenai and Iruka had seen it only fleetingly before. They knew that Kakashi was once an ANBU commander. ANBU commanders were second only to the Hokage in power, prestige and overall command, and more than that, they were supposed to be the most potent killers in the entire ninja population of a village.

They realized that, without a doubt, that's exactly what they were seeing now. Hatake Kakashi was gone. 'Inu' was in his place.

Kakashi turned his gaze to Naruto. "Heal Haku, return her to consciousness, do whatever you have to do to that end. We need information, and I think she has it. After that, get Kiba and Shino active using whatever means necessary."

Naruto could only nod almost shakily and turn back to Haku, the green glow in his hands getting brighter.

Next, he turned to Kurenai. She resisted flinching only by virtue of biting her tongue. "Kurenai…take Iruka and do a preliminary search of the surrounding area, two mile radius. Report back here as quickly as you can."

Kurenai nodded, wide eyed, and motioned Iruka over to her. In an instant, both were gone out the makeshift door.

Next, he looked at Anko. She seemed the least effected of everyone…but then again, she looked serious, and perhaps that was the greatest change she could make. "Anko, take Sasuke out to the forest and do a preliminary search of the site of the battle. It shouldn't be hard to find. Vector where Haku and Zabuza came from if at all possible and then report back here as quickly as you can. If you come across any Stone Nin, terminate them on sight."

Anko narrowed her eyes slightly and nodded, motioning a thoroughly surprised Sasuke to follow her. He complied without a word. Both leapt out the door and into the forest, going as quickly as they could.

Now bereft of anyone else that could hear them, Kakashi turned his gaze once more to Naruto. He kneeled down to his level and looked directly into his eyes. Naruto almost lost his focus on his medical chakra.

Kakashi exuded a small amount of killing intent at his pupil. He needed Naruto to take this seriously.

"Naruto…if you ever come across that situation again…you _will_ run. Do you understand me?"

Much to Kakashi's surprise, Naruto went from scared to pissed in an instant.

"No. If there's someone being attacked, I'm not going to sit around and let them die just because I want to preserve my own life. That's bullshit. I'm a _Ninja_, Kakashi-sensei, not a coward."

Kakashi grabbed Naruto's shoulders and bodily hauled him away from Haku, almost slamming him into the wall. As it was, Naruto's feet were dangling feet above the floor, and his shoulders hurt from the pressure Kakashi was exerting on them. Kakashi's one visible eye was narrowed, and he exuded killing intent like nothing Naruto had ever felt.

He was almost proud for himself for not shivering.

"I'm not giving you an _option_, Naruto. I'm _telling_ you. If you _ever_ do something like that again, I will personally send you back to the academy and take you off of active duty. Jinchuuriki or not, you are a _Genin_, Naruto…and I will not have a Genin that foolishly endangers his life like you did. I will _not_ see you _killed_, because you're too arrogant to realize your own shortcomings!"

Again, to Kakashi's surprise, Naruto's eyes narrowed even further.

Inside, Naruto was seething. He had defeated three Stone Nin. He had rescued potential allies, and gotten potential information on where Hinata and Sakura were being kept. He had successfully summoned three foxes from his new army to watch over them, and he was now _healing_ the one who could give them more information on Hinata and Sakura…

And Kakashi had the fucking gall to tell him it was 'foolish'?

In a rare flash of inspiration, he realized just what was going on. Kakashi, in his own misguided way, was trying to 'protect him'

…because…

Naruto narrowed his eyes at his sensei and grit his teeth. His voice came out cold.

"Kakashi, would you be telling me this if I wasn't _his_ son?"

In an instant, Kakashi's one visible eye widened. Naruto's eyes narrowed even further. His suspicion was confirmed.

Naruto all but slapped Kakashi's hands away from his shoulders and dropped to the ground in a slight crouch, standing once again as quickly as he could. He looked up into Kakashi's one visible eye and summoned every bit of Ki he could, from both his own reserve, and a bit from Kyuubi's.

It didn't even come close to equaling his Sensei's.

"If I was just another Genin, and I had defeated those three Nin, you would be telling me 'good job!' or 'I'm proud' or something, right? But no, I'm _his_ son. Because of that, you feel some shitty compunction to _protect_ me, don't you? You don't want me getting into dangerous situations, or pushing my limits, because I'm _his_ son! This has nothing to do with me being a Genin or a Jinchuuriki, does it, Kakashi-_sensei_? Because I'm _his_ son, you think that you have to make it up to me, or to _him_, by making sure that I don't get in 'over my head' or something, right?"

Kakashi only continued to stare.

Naruto all but growled. His voice gained an even frostier edge. "My father trusted me with the burden he gave me. I grew up alone. I grew up being hated. I grew up as an object of scorn and derision my _entire life_, Kakashi…and where the _fuck_ were you?"

He was rewarded when Kakashi flinched, ever so slightly.

"But now…_now_, I'm the son of your idol and role model. You feel guilty, don't you? You failed to protect your role model's son. You're trying to make it up to him, aren't you? For making the mistake of seeing me as just 'The Jinchuuriki', you feel guilty, and now you're trying to make up for it! Does it make _you_ feel better to try to protect _me_? Does it make you feel less guilty for not being there for me by trying to coddle me and protect me _now_? All because I'm the son of the Yondaime?!"

Hatake Kakashi, ANBU captain, Jounin and student of the Yondaime Hokage, actually took a step back, from a _Genin_.

Naruto growled again and closed the distance between him and his sensei. The height difference lessened the impact, but nevertheless, Naruto stared right into Kakashi's visible eye. They were starting to bleed red around the edges.

Naruto's voice was almost nothing more than a cold whisper.

"You didn't try to protect me then, so don't try to protect me now. My father wouldn't have wanted me to be coddled or protected like some spoiled noble brat. He would have wanted me to grow up to be a good man, a good ninja. Trying to protect me, _now_, against things like this…you're doing him a disservice, Kakashi-sensei. If you really want to make it up to him, help me become a good ninja. If you really want to make it up to him, don't hold me back. If you really feel guilty for not helping me before…"

His eyes softened slightly. He calmly walked back over to the still sleeping Haku and kneeled down, placing green healing hands above her.

"…then help me _now_, by treating me like _Naruto_, and not the 'Yondaime's Son'. Going from seeing me as 'The Jinchuuriki' to seeing me as just the son of your sensei is not an improvement. I don't want to be acknowledged just because I'm his son. I want to be acknowledged because I'm Namikaze Naruto. To that end, don't try to protect me from dangerous situations or keep me from fighting. Just…be my sensei, and help me become a good ninja. That's all I want from you."

The room was went silent as Naruto finished his diatribe, save for the soft sound of medical chakra.

Kakashi didn't move. Hell, he barely even breathed.

He didn't want to admit it. He really didn't. Him seeing Naruto, before he knew he was Minato's son, as simply a Jinchuuriki was something he _was_ ashamed of. And yes…he was trying very hard to make it up to both Minato and to Naruto…

But…was he really just trying to protect Naruto because of whose son he was? Was that all there was? His guilt and misplaced 'duty' to his sensei?

He let out a shuddering sigh, his head falling downwards slightly. Yeah. Naruto was right. What would Minato think of him, seeing him like this? Trying to treat Naruto like something to be protected and coddled…

If Minato were alive, he had no doubt that Naruto would not have been treated like that. Minato would never have treated Naruto like some spoiled brat. That's not the kind of person he was.

Naruto was more like his father than he could ever realize. More than Kakashi had ever realized.

Kakashi leaned up against the wall, his visible eye lax. For whatever reason, this entire situation made him feel old.

"Gomen."

Naruto barely looked up, but there was a small smile on his face.

"Don't worry about it. You had good intentions at least…but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I just want to be treated like any other Genin, Kakashi-sensei. Remember that, and we're good."

Kakashi smiled.

"_Hokage-sama, we're ready to –"_

_Minato looked up at him from his position hunched over some paperwork on his desk._

"_Kakashi…I know I'm the Hokage now, and I know you're ANBU…but please, just call me Minato, or Sensei, alright? You of all people have earned that privilege. Remember that."_

'_Inu' was silent for a moment._

"…_Hai, Minato-sama."_

_The Yondaime Hokage gave him a small smirk._

"_Now you're just trying to piss me off."_

For the first time in quite some time, Hatake Kakashi laughed. Genuinely, truly, laughed.

"You're…a lot like him, you know that? I don't know how, but you're almost exactly like him in personality. Stubborn to a fault. You're probably even more stubborn than he was."

Naruto chuckled slightly.

"Well, I was his clone for about…oh, twelve years. Maybe that has something to do with it?"

Kakashi just smirked and came off his perch on the wall, going over to Naruto and ruffling his hair. Naruto shot him a petulant glare.

"Now you're just _trying_ to piss me off, aren't you?"

Kakashi chuckled heartily and gave Naruto his patented eye-smile. Naruto just huffed.

A soft sound like footsteps came from the direction of the flimsy door to the outside, alerting both Naruto and Kakashi that someone had just returned. Moments later, Anko and Sasuke came in the door, both looking rather serious. Sasuke shot Naruto an almost jealous glare, but it had an edge of almost frustration to it, rather than malice.

"We found the site of the battle, Kakashi. Three Stone Nin, dead from various wounds…one decapitated, one cut from stomach to liver, and the other with his neck torn out. We tried to figure out where they came from, but it seems as though they crisscrossed the forest the entire time they traveled…makes it near impossible to track them without some sort of tracking animal. Judging by their vests and equipment, I'd say they were all Chuunin."

Kakashi stood from his kneeling position and gained his serious persona once more, though it wasn't nearly as cold or violent as it had been before.

"Right. We'll wait for Kurenai and Iruka to get back, and then I'll flesh out where we go from here. Naruto, how close are you to being done healing her?"

Naruto sighed slightly and refocused as well. "I've already corrected most of the damage in her body. As it is, she's just suffering from sleep deprivation and chakra exhaustion. I can wake her up at any time."

The silver haired Jounin nodded. "Good. Start on Kiba and Shino then. We'll be needing them for this…even if they're not at one hundred percent, it's still better having them awake than having them as a liability.

Naruto simply nodded and stood, walking over to where Shino and Kiba were both prone. Placing his hands above Shino's abdomen, he forced a fair amount of chakra into the boy's coils, and he immediately felt his patient's bugs lapping it up greedily. Shino's regenerative abilities, thanks to his bugs, immediately began working faster.

Turning and setting his hands above Kiba, he activated his medical seal and began the healing process once more, doing what he could to get the boy back up and functioning.

Kakashi and Anko took up positions against the wall, quietly debating possible ways with which to go forward. Anko still held her serious expression, while Kakashi's hadn't changed one bit. His air of authority and almost killing intent, however, was greatly lessened.

Sasuke on the other hand, simply walked up to where Naruto was healing Kiba, and leaned up against the wall, arms crossed in front of him. His gaze was completely trained on his blonde cousin. "Were they difficult opponents?"

Naruto looked up at Sasuke momentarily, noting the almost impassive expression on his face. His hands didn't deviate from their position over his patient, however. "Yes, actually. I didn't have to tap into…_her_ chakra…" Kyuubi looked up from her position near Haku and snorted "…but they were difficult nonetheless. Why do you ask?"

Sasuke almost scowled, but simply looked away, staring at the prone form of Haku in the corner, his eyes glazing over slightly. "Do you think that if I were faced with the same situation, I would win?"

Naruto looked back down at Kiba and shrugged, trying his best not to sigh in almost exasperation. "Yeah, probably. Like Kakashi-sensei said…Stone Nin are known for their quantity, not quality. That much was obvious when I fought them. Their Chuunin are probably equivalent to our Genin, and their Jounin are probably nothing more than well trained kunai fodder. With your Sharingan, I don't doubt that you'd come out on top."

The raven haired Genin, who up to this point was trying his best to quell his rising jealousy, seemed to almost snap his gaze to Naruto, his eyes widening slightly. Naruto was actually telling him that…he was good enough to take on full fledged _ninja_?

Since when had Naruto actually had _genuine_ confidence in his abilities?

Almost sensing his unasked question, Naruto didn't restrain himself this time from sighing as he looked up and met his cousin's eyes. "You're a good ninja, Sasuke, regardless of if you think you are or not. Don't be jealous of me just because I killed a few ninja, and you didn't."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed…but they held no real malice. "I wasn't jealous."

Naruto huffed, almost chuckling. "Right. Of course you weren't."

Cracking the slightest smirk, Sasuke simply huffed and pushed himself off the wall, walking over to where Kyuubi was laying down, ostensibly guarding Haku. He sat down and began scratching Kyuubi behind the ear almost as a reflex, as he stared at the ceiling. Kyuubi sighed…however a fox can sigh…in happiness.

Sasuke knew that Naruto was right, of course. He shouldn't be jealous. It didn't make much sense to be. After all…he'd get his chance to prove himself eventually. There were more Stone Nin out there. He'd find them…and then…

His small smirk grew into an almost malevolent smile. They would indeed be a good test of how far he had come. And how far he had left to go.

A relatively comfortable silence settled over the room as Naruto healed Kiba and Shino. Anko and Kakashi had finished strategizing over various ways to go about a rescue mission, and Sasuke was playing his training and his various fights over in his head, trying to find even the smallest flaws in his style or execution.

Naruto, on the other hand, was feeling the distinct impression that he was being watched.

Feeling the…premonition…of sorts coming from behind him, he stopped the flow of medical chakra to his hands and turned around, expecting to find Sasuke's eyes boring into his, or perhaps even Anko or Kakashi looking at him.

Instead, as he looked down, he saw two very confused eyes looking at him from behind two very dark spectacles.

"I…am alive?"

Naruto, momentarily startled, could do nothing but look down at his fellow Genin and blink repeatedly. Luckily, a small mental tail-slap from Kyuubi brought him to his senses.

He brought his hand out and engulfed it in medical chakra, before placing it above Shino's forehead. "Uh…yeah, you're alive. Though, how you're awake without me waking you up…is beyond me."

Shino, now slightly more composed than he had been, attempted to sit up. This was very quickly thwarted by a strong shove to his forehead by Naruto. "Stay down. You're mostly healed, but you're still not nearly at one hundred percent. Just let me do some diagnostics."

From behind him, he heard what amounted to a disbelieving snort. "You know, I didn't think I'd ever hear something like _that_ come out of your mouth, Uzumaki."

Resisting the urge to slap his forehead, Naruto only sighed. "How long have you been awake, Kiba?"

From behind him again, he heard a small bark, followed by a slight chuckling sound from Kiba. "Since Shino sent one of his…_bugs_…over and had it bite me on the ear. That fuckin' hurt, damn it!"

Shino didn't visibly react in the slightest, and simply began scanning the room with his eyes, taking in his current position on the floor and the people in the room with him.

It made sense, to him at least, that there was another Jounin…or two…that had shown up as reinforcements. It also made sense, to a certain extent, that Sasuke and Naruto were there, as they were students under Hatake Kakashi, who was looking at him from across the room.

What didn't make sense, in the slightest, was why Zabuza and an unknown girl with a familiar chakra signature were laying roughly perpendicular to them, and the fact that neither Kurenai nor Hinata were to be found.

Before he could voice his observations, his louder teammate beat him to it. "Oi…where's Kurenai-sensei…and where's Hinata?"

Kakashi, who by now had fully noticed that Naruto's two patients were lucid, pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the Genin, shaping his one visible eye into a smile. "Kurenai is currently with Iruka, reconnoitering the area…and Hinata…"

A whooshing sound made manifest from outside the thin wooden door, interrupting Kakashi and signifying that Kurenai and Iruka had both arrived. Pushing open the door rather quickly, Kurenai rushed into the room and knelt in front of Kiba and Shino's resting spot. Her expression showed a mixture of relief and almost sadness.

"I heard your voices outside the door…you're awake…how do you two feel? Are you alright? Can you walk?"

Kiba, before Naruto could push him back down, pushed himself up and leaned against the wall in a sitting position, stretching his arm and cracking his neck for effect. "…yeah, I feel…pretty good actually. Akamaru's doing good too, right boy?"

He received a bark and a tail wag in confirmation.

Shino, not disobeying Naruto's strict 'Lie down damn it' order, simply blinked and nodded.

Kurenai heaved an enormous sigh of relief, and promptly fell on her butt, eyes closed slightly. A small grin adorned her face. "That's wonderful. I'm so glad you two are alright."

Kiba, who up until now had been checking Akamaru over for injuries, looked up at his Sensei and chose that moment to notice her conspicuous lack of a lack of an arm. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the visage of a fully two-armed Kurenai. "Oi…Kurenai-sensei…your arm…how…"

The red eyed Jounin opened her eyes and smiled at Kiba, waving her hand dismissively for effect. "I have Naruto to thank for that. It's a long story…but…he was able to re-grow my arm using some really advanced medical Jutsu."

The dog-boy's eyes widened even further.

"Kurenai-sensei…where is Hinata-san? And why is it that Zabuza is currently laying unconscious on the floor next to us? Also, who is that girl –"

Kurenai put a finger on Shino's lips to silence him, ending what could have been quite a long exposition. When Shino started to actually talk, it was rather amazing how much he could actually expound on a situation. "Boy, actually. And Zabuza –"

"Girl."

All parties turned their heads towards Naruto, who by now had shuffled himself away from Team 8 to lean up against an adjacent wall. "Definitely a girl. During my medical diagnostics, I noticed that _she_ definitely has the correct anatomy for one of the _female_ gender. Ovaries, breasts, and a conspicuous lack of a specifically _male_ anatomical feature."

Kurenai looked befuddled for a moment before she shifted her gaze over to the sleeping…girl…on the mat across the room. "…you're sure? I could have sworn that…"

Naruto simply nodded. "Absolutely sure."

She could only stare in askance. Kurenai was sure that Haku had been a boy…she, after all, had no obvious breasts…and the facial features…

Shaking her head to clear her obvious confusion, she turned her attention back to her revived team. "Right then. Anyway…a lot has happened while you two have been unconscious. There's a good reason why Zabuza and his apprentice are currently in the same room as us…according to Kakashi and Naruto anyway."

No one missed the almost petulant glare the red eyed Jounin shot the one-eyed former ANBU.

Kakashi didn't even look like he noticed it.

"Maa, we can fill you two in on everything later. For now, we need to get some information from Haku on the whereabouts of Hinata and Sakura. Naruto, if you'd be so kind as to wake her up…"

Kiba literally shot himself from sitting to standing in the space of a second. "Hinata?! What happened to Hinata? Where is she? Is she ok?"

Shino actually disobeyed 'doctor's orders' and sat up as well, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes dangerously narrowed.

Kakashi simply sighed, and his expression went from lazy to focused in an instant. "Hinata was captured by Gato…and presumably some Stone Nin that were helping him. Sakura, on our team, was taken by those same people as well. Haku…that's the girl…has some information regarding their whereabouts, according to Naruto at least."

Naruto nodded slightly, noting that Kiba and Shino both had looks of fury on their faces. "Zabuza and Haku were attacked by those same Stone Nin that abducted Hinata. I believe that at some point, they were probably housed in the same facility that Hinata and presumably Sakura are being kept at. Since Gato betrayed them, Zabuza and Haku are both no longer under his service…and presumably, are not any longer under orders to kill us."

Kiba clenched his fists, and his jaw, before opening it to speak. "If they came from the same place as Hinata and Sakura, then their smell should lead us straight to them!" He turned his attention to his sensei. "Just give me the word, sensei, and I'll sniff that place out and burn it to ashes!"

Shino simply nodded in agreement, though one could hear a faint buzzing sound coming from around him, as his bugs responded to his anger.

Kurenai looked at them with a mixture of pride and slight regret. Walking over to her two remaining Genin, she placed her delicate yet strong hands on their heads and gave them the most reassuring smile she could. "We can't Kiba…not yet. We need to get more information on this before we go to save Hinata and Sakura. Believe me…I would love nothing more than to burst in there and massacre those who have hurt our team member…but as Ninja, we need to learn to exercise prudence before emotion. Remember that, you two."

Before Kiba could protest she playfully ruffled both Genin's hair in a decidedly big-sister way and gave them a beaming grin. "Your concern for your teammate however is…very commendable. Don't ever lose that."

The dog-boy managed a small smile.

With a small clap from Kakashi, the room's attention was drawn to him completely. "Right. I think we're ready to wake Haku up, assuming Naruto says it's alright."

Naruto simply nodded. "As I said before, she can be woken up at any time."

Kakashi brought out a Kunai, an action mimicked by Anko and Kurenai. Once he was sure that there was ample defense if the girl decided to betray them, he gave Naruto a nod.

Engulfing his hand in medical chakra, Naruto placed it above the girl's forehead.

Slowly, but surely, her eyelids unsheathed her brown-grey eyes to the room's bright light. Flinching slightly, Haku brought her right arm up to shield her face, before taking in her surroundings.

She was in a room. A room with a lot of other people. People with kunai. People who…judging by the killing intent a few were exuding…wanted her dead.

Five more minutes…

Snapping from her sleep induced stupor, the events of the last few hours came rushing into her cranium full force. The Stone Nin…the blonde and his fox…the black haired Kunoichi…and…

She looked over towards her master. Zabuza was lying on a cot, not too far from her, his chest heaving in a rhythmic motion. She sighed in relief. They were alright. They had come to no harm.

Naruto had kept his promise.

Taking her hand away from her face now that her eyes had fully adjusted to the light, she stared up into the kind yet slightly impassive face of her unofficial savior. Naruto, seeing her focus on him, smiled reassuringly while moving his hand away from her forehead, letting the medical chakra peter off.

Haku's eyes went slightly wide. He was a medic Nin? She had nearly forgotten…

"Haku…it's time to fulfill your end of the bargain. We need information."

He gazed up into Naruto expressive black depths, trying to formulate the words that would do what he now intended. He was a medic Nin…and Zabuza was injured…he had already expressed the desire…or at least, ability to heal her master…she wondered, offhandedly, if the revelations of their allegiance, or rather, former allegiance had negated that.

Haku prayed that this worked.

Sitting up, he set his plan in motion. "Information…on your captured teammates, right?"

Naruto nodded.

Tensing slightly, Haku stared Naruto in the eyes. "Not without something in return."

Faster than a blink, Kiba was across the room, nearly on top of Haku, if not for the restraining hold of Naruto and Kurenai, the latter of the two giving a harsh glare to the ice-Nin sitting only feet away.

"We don't need her information! I'll kill her! I'll rip her apart!" Kiba's eyes shown with fury unleashed as he tried in vain to make good on his threats.

To his credit, Haku didn't even flinch. Though, he figured that they needed to be set straight about his gender…or rather, set _askew_.

"I'm a boy. Not a girl. And you do need my information, if you wish to actually rescue your teammates, and not just find them."

Kiba renewed his attempts to get to Haku. Kurenai, though very much of the same opinion as her Genin, kept him properly restrained.

"You're a girl."

Haku froze. Her breathing stalled, and her eyes widened, as her head turned ever so slightly to face Naruto.

Naruto, who had since let Kiba go, trusting Kurenai to keep him away from Haku, calmly sat down across from the girl once more. His face betrayed nothing, but his eyes were not nearly as expressive as they had been.

"I'm a medical ninja. I have the ability to almost literally look inside you with chakra and find out everything from what the last meal you ate was to if you have a genetic predisposition to cancer. _You are a girl_. Why you insist on trying to make us think otherwise is beyond me."

Perhaps for the first time in ages, Haku actually felt fear. Her eyes widened to their natural limits, and her eyebrows shot up. "…n-no. I'm a boy. You have to be mistaken. You made a mistake."

Once again, Naruto's face showed impassivity. "I did not make a mistake. You have two perfectly functioning ovaries, a functioning uterus, developing mammaries and a conspicuous lack of male genitalia. There is absolutely nothing in your physiology to suggest that you are male. Regardless of if you wish to accept it or not, you are a female. But this is not what our conversation is about."

Haku's mind blanked. She had never had anyone actually call her bluff before. Especially not with incontrovertible fact to back it up.

Naruto stood, his eyes never leaving the form of the girl in front of him. Stunning a few people in the room who did not know him nearly as well as they thought they did, he grabbed Haku by the collar and shoved her up against the wall, meeting her eyes with his own on a level playing field.

"Let me explain something to you. We don't need to be asking you _anything_. Kurenai probably has Genjutsu that would make you feel as though you were in the depths of hell itself. Anko probably knows pressure points that would send you into convulsions of pain the likes of which you would never recover from. But more than any of that?"

Letting the now thoroughly discombobulated Haku fall to the floor unceremoniously, Naruto walked over to where Zabuza was laying on a cot, across the room. He unsheathed his sword, and immediately, the room fell deathly silent. Haku tensed.

"…I will kill him. Promise or not, my teammates…my friends…mean everything to me. I will gladly kill this man to get you to tell me everything you know. And there is _nothing_ you can do to stop me. So, you have two choices."

He let his Ki flow freely. She couldn't help but shudder.

"You can tell us about our teammates, and eventually be set free to do as you please…"

Naruto pressed the blade of his sword onto Zabuza's neck, drawing the smallest bead of blood.

"…or I can kill this man, Kurenai can break you, and Anko can keep you in pain for the rest of your life…and we will _still_ get our information."

He narrowed his eyes at Haku, who was now alternating between too many emotions to count.

"Your choice."

He pressed slightly harder.

It was the worst case scenario. She had been found out to be a girl, Zabuza was incapacitated, she was completely without chakra, and they were both surrounded by hostile Nin. There was nothing _she_ could do to get them out of the situation, aside from giving the Nin what they wanted, and she had no leverage whatsoever, seeing as how…well…killing Zabuza _would_ break her. She would be completely unable to resist giving them what they wanted, when her one reason for living was dead.

Her head fell. Zabuza's life was at stake. She had no choice. She could eventually find someone else to heal him…hopefully.

"…I…I'll tell you. Please, don't hurt him."

Immediately, the sword was taken away from Zabuza's neck. The pressure of Naruto's Ki in the room vanished.

"Good decision."

Walking back across the room, Naruto deposited himself in front of the now completely hopeless Haku, and brought his hand to her chin, raising it slightly so that she could look in his eyes.

Much to her surprise, they held no malice…nor were they impassive. They looked almost…regretful. They were paired with a lopsided grin.

"I'm sorry that I had to resort to such things. Really. But…my teammate and my friend are in danger. I _need_ to know where they are and in what condition. Please."

Quite despite herself, she couldn't help but sigh, and smile ever so slightly back. His smile was virulent.

Wiping any and all expression off her face, Haku set to actually remembering what she knew of the compound, and what she knew of the people stationed there.

"The compound is approximately five to seven miles due northeast from here. It's very well guarded…very well defended, and it's entrenched. There are traps set to go off around the perimeter and a small army of thugs, mercenaries and hired swords guard the main entrances. Inside…it is fairly straightforward. Some rooms are simple guest quarters; some rooms are obviously there to house prisoners. The hallways and corridors are narrow, so as to prevent large scale fighting and to bottleneck any advancing enemies."

"The stone Nin are holed up inside the compound itself…they displaced the thugs when they arrived. I would estimate their numbers somewhere around one hundred to one hundred and fifty Chuunin to Jounin level Nin. With the Nin I took down in our getaway and the ones Naruto killed, however…that number should be a bit lower."

Kakashi, Anko and Kurenai immediately stiffened. Each had the same thought on their mind. Three Jounin, a Chuunin and five Genin were not enough to fight off that many Nin. Not at all. Regardless of their skill level, regardless of how many Haku had killed…that many opponents…for as many people as they had…

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Oblivious to the rising tension in the room, Haku continued. "Your friends are most likely separated at separate ends of the compound…I'm not exactly sure where, precisely, but with your tracking abilities, such as they are, it shouldn't be tremendously hard to find them."

She sighed and raised her gaze to meet Naruto's. "…That's really all I know."

Naruto simply nodded, giving her a lopsided grin. Haku, despite herself, smiled back slightly.

From across the room, Kakashi pushed himself off the wall and sighed, his head drooped ever so slightly.

"Are you sure about the number of Stone Nin in the compound itself?"

Haku looked at him and nodded. "Yes. When they first came, I made sure to do a cursory headcount, should I ever need to fight my way through them. I've been in this situation before."

Kurenai stood from where she had previously been restraining Kiba and straightened her battle-dress. "…one hundred and fifty…"

Anko simply scoffed slightly. "That's a helluva number to fight through. Even for some of the most elite Jounin in our village…"

Iruka simply gazed at the floor.

Kiba stood abruptly, glaring at his sensei. He had easily sensed the apprehension and trepidation of his superiors. "Don't tell me you're just going to give up on them! One hundred Nin or no, we can't just leave them there!"

Shino nodded in agreement, expressing what little he ever did.

Naruto remained strangely quiet.

Kurenai, whose expression softened to meet Kiba's simply patted his head. "No. We'll never abandon teammates, no matter the odds. But…we might have to send for reinforcements first. We're good, Kiba…but…"

Anko shot his gaze over to the dog boy, picking up where her friend left off. "…we're not that good. Even if we" she gestured to Kurenai, Kakashi and herself, "…each took out thirty Nin before we bit it…it wouldn't be enough. This isn't just a rescue mission anymore, kid…this…this is almost like a–"

"A war? Don't you need an army for a war?"

Everyone looked over to the blonde who had just spoken, his head tilted down towards the floor slightly.

Kakashi shot him a curious gaze, though it was filled with a slight amount of humor. "You're good with Kage Bunshin, Naruto…but Kage Bunshin aren't as strong as the original. Even if you managed to create a thousand, it'd only even the odds by a small margin…not nearly enough to count."

Kurenai shot Kakashi a startled gaze, something mirrored by Anko. "…a-a thousand? No Genin…scratch that, no ninja _period_ could create that many Kage Bunshin!"

The cyclopean Jounin shot Kurenai an almost smug smirk. "…mine can."

If possible, Kurenai and Anko's eyes widened even further. Iruka smiled, and Sasuke simply smirked.

Before anyone else could comment on the raw amount of chakra that it would take to create a few thousand Kage Bunshin, Naruto stood abruptly and dusted off his pants, throwing a reassuring glance to Kiba…getting a very confused stare from the dog-Genin.

Turning around, Naruto looked his sensei straight in the eye, making Kakashi start at the amount of confidence held within.

"If you need an army…I've _got_ an army."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi wasn't exactly sure _why_ he was going along with this…

After all, it was impossible. Naruto, saying that he could summon an army with his Kuchiyose. The very idea was absurd. Summon animals came in small numbers, or in larger numbers with weaker fighters. Summoning three foxes to guard Zabuza was a feat in and of itself, of course…

But summoning an _army_ of them?

An impossibility.

…right?

All parties were now standing out in a clearing outside the house of the bridge builder, looking on as Naruto stood away from them, reading something that they couldn't quite see.

Even the bridge builder and his family had come out to watch, being told by Anko that they were going to be seeing 'magic'…of course, she had chuckled afterwards rather heartily, ostensibly at their naiveté about Ninjutsu, but the family was enticed nonetheless. Inari was clinging to his mother's dress tightly, looking on at the blonde standing a fair pace away, while Tazuna and Tsunami simply waited with bated breath, wondering just what was going on that had even the _adult_ ninja stupefied.

Haku was only watching half-heartedly. In truth, she was amazed by his abilities, but more than that, she was still concerned for Zabuza. Her plan to get Naruto to heal Zabuza had almost backfired on her horribly, and what's more, it seemed as though her usefulness to them was at an end. They would either now be treated as prisoners, or they would be let go…either way, the outcome wasn't in their favor.

Either way, Zabuza didn't get healed.

She drove herself deeper into thought, trying to come up with some way to get Naruto to heal her master.

Naruto on the other hand, was busy reading the scroll that had been given to him by the demigod Inari. He figured that if he was going to try pulling off summoning an army, he might as well have some knowledge about what exactly he was getting himself into.

Unfurling the rather thick paper, he began to read.

_Yo!_

Naruto groaned.

_If you're reading this, then you're the new general of my army. Pretty cool, eh? You got a few thousand foxes at your beck and call, each one fully trained in how to fight and kill at your whim. But, as with everything, there are some things you need to know._

_First off?_

_Never, ever, under any circumstances, attempt to summon them all at once._

Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

_You need to understand, while this army IS yours to command…they are on a completely different plane of existence from you. Calling them means using your chakra to pull them through various dimensional barriers, and your blood is being used as a beacon thereof. Trying to summon one or two foxes is hard enough…trying to summon them _all_ is nigh suicide. No one save for Kyuubi herself, or of course, _me_, could ever attempt it without dying a horrible and ignominious death._

_Thing is though, if you have this scroll, there's a good chance you have an extremely large chakra reserve already. This is a good thing, but it _still doesn't_ mean that you should summon them all. Not even _you_ have as much chakra as Kyuubi._

Naruto withheld a scoff, and Kyuubi too chuckled slightly. Undoubtedly, that didn't quite apply to them. Regardless, he read on.

_With this chakra reserve of yours, you _should_ be able to summon a few hundred of my soldiers at any given time. It all depends on how much chakra you have. I'd experiment with it, find out how much chakra you use to summon one fox, and then multiply that by how many foxes you want to summon the next time. It's never a definite number, but you can get close._

_However. Should you wish to summon more than a few hundred of my foxes, I would suggest that you do two things._

_Firstly, pop one of your oh-so-useful soldier pills. Great invention, seriously._

_Secondly? Use a specific Jutsu._

This time, both of Naruto's eyebrows rose.

_Within this scroll, there are contained many different _specific_ Jutsu that you can use to summon certain types of foxes, or certain numbers of foxes. Each has the same hand seals, but some require you to have a secondary knowledge of fuujinjutsu to complete, as some require specific amounts of blood, and others require you to make seal arrays in your summoning medium before the use of the Jutsu itself. They should be fairly easy to learn, though. Just make sure that you have enough chakra, and that you do it _by the letter_, or else you could end up inadvertently bringing about the apocalypse or something…who knows._

Naruto was suddenly struck by the image of his patron deity picking his nose while musing on the apocalypse. He almost groaned.

_Enough about summoning…you need to know a bit about the summons themselves as well._

_Anything and everything you know about summon animals…you should forget, right now._

Naruto, again, looked surprised.

_Most summoned animals are of the more mundane variety. For example, low level snake summons are almost mindless, and lower-level toad summons are extremely weak. More than that, it's rare that you can summon more than one or two of them at a time, due simply to the fact that most summon 'clans' are run like families as opposed to armies. If you needed a hundred toads in one summon, you'd be shit out of luck._

_The fox summons, however, work much differently._

_My army is run like an _army_. Each fox is a soldier, each soldier is part of a platoon, each platoon is part of a regiment, is part of a brigade, a division…you get the picture. Each is trained in a certain specific way to perform their function. Each is intelligent, each is powerful in their own right. Each can talk, communicate, take orders, and even take charge if necessary. Some of the highest-level summons can even assume human form._

Naruto stole a quick glance at Kyuubi and smirked, something mentally mimicked by the fox herself. Indeed, if the _highest_ fox summon could assume human shape, then ostensibly, her direct subordinates should be able to do the same. It made sense at least.

He continued to read.

_Because they're structured like an army, you should _use_ them like an army. Give them specific commands, or specific goals to reach. Tell them who to kill, who to guard, who to follow…in essence, should you ask them to jump, they most likely _will_ ask, 'How high?' Your whim is their command, your ambition their dream. Don't use this lightly._

_For all intents and purposes, this is now your army. I am, of course, still their…and your…superior, however I usually take a 'hands off' approach when it comes to the goings-on of my army. I will only really get involved if necessary…and that's…pretty much not going to happen._

_Good luck. Remember…this is not only a great gift; it is also a great responsibility. Do not take it lightly._

He looked up, gazing at the sky for a moment, before a wistful smile came to his face.

'_I won't let you down, Inari.'_

Startling him slightly, he heard a chuckle in the back of his mind. _**'Of course you won't. He wouldn't have chosen you if he thought you would.'**_

He scowled petulantly.

Naruto skimmed down the rest of the scroll, noticing that the rest of the scroll was variations on the regular Kuchiyose, and instructions on how to use them. Some were meant to summon 'honor guards' of the more 'elite' of the army, and still others were meant to summon foxes with very specific abilities…such as invisibility, inborn elemental manipulation, and even a few that were simply fox spirits that were able to possess and manipulate humans.

Putting the scroll away, Naruto made a mental note to read the scroll over later in earnest.

'_I'm thinking this may be more useful than I even thought it could be before.'_

Kyuubi, who was once again around his neck, gave a mental affirmation. _**'I knew before that this summoning contract was…**_**different**_** from the ones most humans possess, but most of this is new to me as well. When we finally do get back to Konoha, we'll have to find a clearing outside of Konoha of some sort to test some of these in.'**_

Quirking his eyebrow, Naruto began walking further towards the middle of the clearing they were in. _'Why outside of Konoha?'_

The fox merely scoffed. _**'What sort of commotion would it cause if you were to summon a massive army of foxes within Konoha's borders? Most in that town don't trust foxes…even **_**hate**_** them…so having a small army of them simply appear in their midst would certainly not be a **_**good**_** thing.'**_

Grimacing, Naruto merely nodded. _'Good point. For now, let's get back to the task at hand. Assuming that I just have to do the regular Kuchiyose, how much chakra…or rather, how much of _your_ chakra will I have to use to actually pull this off?'_

Kyuubi was silent for a moment, before she hummed thoughtfully. _**'Back when you summoned those three foxes…it took about as much chakra as it would take to produce around thirty Kage Bunshin. Ostensibly, that means that one fox takes as much chakra as ten Kage Bunshin. To summon one hundred…it'd be like…'**_

Naruto almost grinned. _'…like creating a thousand Kage Bunshin. Perfect.'_

The fox around Naruto's neck let out what amounted to an amused chortle. _**'Convenient. This shouldn't be too hard then.'**_

Letting a confident smirk slip onto his face, he simply nodded and stopped in the middle of the clearing, straightening his posture and turning towards his rapt audience.

"Kakashi-sensei…are you all ready?"

Said Jounin simply nodded at his student, his arms crossed over his chest and his shoulder resting up against a nearby tree. He had schooled his face into a mostly deadpan expression, however he too was feeling the excitement…or maybe apprehension…that the others around him were feeling as well.

Everyone except Sasuke, who was standing next to Haku, an almost amused expression adorning his usually impassive features.

He, at least, had learned quite some time ago…_never_ underestimate Naruto. Hence why he wasn't surprised, or even apprehensive about what was to come.

Perhaps it was because he trusted his friend and cousin…though, he doubted he'd ever admit it.

All were broken from their thoughts as Naruto began his Jutsu. The boy bit his thumb and began going through the various hand seals needed for the Jutsu, all the while flooding his chakra pathways with as much of Kyuubi's chakra as he could muster.

As he finished the last hand seal, he mentally pushed his chakra forward and allowed it to build up to a huge amount. The power inside him was immense…thrilling…almost intoxicatingly addicting. It felt as though every pore in his body was bursting with power.

It felt much like it did when he summoned the Kage Bunshin for his training.

Kakashi, Kurenai, Anko and even Iruka shivered at the feeling. They had never felt Naruto summon the Kyuubi's chakra to such an extent before. It was horrible…exciting…_frightening_…

Naruto, seeing the reactions on people's faces, withheld a smirk.

Bringing his hand up above his head and unceremoniously slamming it into the ground, he shouted with all he could muster…

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"

-----------------------------------------------------

The room was warm. There was a small fire going in the fireplace, and he was clad in warm clothing. He was sure he did not have a cold.

For these reasons, Kataiyoru Rouhi was concerned.

Because he could not explain the shivers that he had just felt go down his spine.

------------------------------------------------------

Anko could honestly say that she'd never seen anything like it.

Of course, she'd seen a Kuchiyose performed before. Hell, she had a contract with the snakes, so she had even _performed_ the damned Jutsu before. She'd seen Orochimaru perform the Jutsu; she'd even seen Jiraiya and the long lost Tsunade perform the Jutsu. Each had been impressive in their own rights.

But this…_dwarfed_ them.

When one performs the Kuchiyose, a series of seals spreads out from the point of origin, usually only a few feet, and then usually vanishes with the smoke. These seals perpetuate the actual summoning itself, allowing the chosen summon to break the various barriers between dimensions and appear in their own. The seal usually is created with the blood of the caster.

This seal…was not a few feet.

Black markings spread out across the landscape, snaking up trees and even crawling across the water, as Naruto's Kuchiyose no Jutsu summoned his small army onto his own plane of existence. As the seal spread, so did a massive plume of smoke, roughly the same size as the circumference of the seal. It enveloped the Nin standing at the edge of the clearing, and even spread to cover the house of the bridge-builder, enshrouding it in something not unlike a fog.

At the middle of all of this, was Naruto.

The first thing he realized, rather quickly at that, was that this feeling was _not_ like what it felt like to summon Kage Bunshin.

When he created Kage Bunshin, the general feeling was that he was relieving pressure…turning the valve to full and letting his chakra pour out without constraint or control.

This on the other hand, was akin to forcing a river through a straw. His chakra was compressing after it was expelled, and then once it had reached a certain pressure, it almost literally exploded where it was, rushing and gushing like a torrent across wherever it was that the chakra had expelled to.

After each one of these 'explosions', he could see some sort of a shadow appear in the mist.

He surmised that each 'explosion' was the entrance of a fox into the realm. Some of them seemed to be less than others, and still others seemed to be massive.

One was even gargantuan…though, it had been early on in the process.

All of this had taken only a few moments…seconds really…to actually happen. As it was, he was currently standing in the middle of the clearing, waiting for the mist to clear, and heaving somewhat deep breaths, trying to recover some of his lost stamina.

Just as he began to wonder if perhaps he had set something on fire by accident, and therefore caused all of this smoke to perpetuate itself…a gust of a sea breeze wafted into the clearing where they were standing, blowing away the shroud as if it were never there at all.

All at once, everyone in the clearing gasped, including Naruto.

In the clearing…on the trees…and even a few on the water…there were foxes. So many foxes. Easily half a hundred. Perhaps more.

More than this, they all seemed to be of varying sizes, shapes, and even color. Near the edges, there were two tailed foxes, not unlike the ones that Naruto had summoned to guard over Zabuza and Haku earlier. They looked to be roughly the size of a normal dog, or perhaps just smaller. Some were the same ocher color, while others were as dark as obsidian, and still others were white as snow. The two-tailed variant of the foxes Naruto had summoned seem to make up the bulk of the actual force.

Closer to the center, and forming the second ring, were slightly larger three-tailed foxes…maybe the size of a larger dog, with the bulk of one as well. Again, they varied with colors and patterns, running the gamut between dark and light, and even a few more vibrantly colored foxes.

The main difference, however, between the two-tailed, and the three-tailed foxes, was that the three-tails…were wearing what appeared to be armor.

They had metal plate coverings on their head and torso's, some glinting in the sun, and others painted darkly, so as to be more useful for stealth. They had leather coverings over their joints and tendons to prevent them from being easily accessed during battle, and a few looked to even have metallic canines in their mouths that jutted out over their lower jaws. From Naruto's vantage point, they looked serrated.

As Naruto scanned the foxes, however, his attention was not kept long by the two and three tailed varieties.

Not when, at the center of them all…stood a massive, four tailed, armored and battle-scarred obsidian colored fox. It stood almost as tall…and just about as long…as two full sized Clydesdale horses, and while it wasn't tremendously wide…only about as wide as a couple oxen…its muscles rippled beneath the surface, giving it a menacing, warrior like look. It stood imposing over the clearing as its tails whipped back and forth over the heads of its subordinates.

It's stainless-steel, futuristic looking armor glinted and glared in the sunlight as its head began to swivel, taking in its new surroundings. On its head and around its ears, a large helm rested comfortably, extending across its lower jaw and upper snout tightly, almost fitting itself to the fox's fur. Across the fox's torso, layered and overlapping plate armor hung off the foxes back, once again seeming to fit itself snugly to the animal it protected. On the fox's feet were small plates of armor and a few leather sleeves, protecting the tendons and vulnerable joints of the massive beast, and also adding to its overall power, should it use its legs for weapons.

Naruto broke himself from his reverie as he noticed the large fox looking at him. The fox's purple eyes seemed to bore into his own with an intensity he hadn't felt for quite some time.

Before he could even register the massive fox actually moving, it had knelt down on its front paws in front of him, its eyes closed and his ears laid back on his head. In some part of Naruto's brain, he recognized it as a submissive posture.

"Naruto-sama, I presume. I am honored to have been called by you, Taishou. Myself, and the regiment I command are at your service."

Naruto couldn't help but grin slightly, a small embarrassed blush making itself present on his face. He certainly wasn't used to this sort of sycophancy. Regardless, he tried to school himself.

"Excellent. I and my companions have need of you and your subordinates to fight a small army of Nin a few miles from here. Most of them are low-to-high Chuunin level, with a few higher-levels undoubtedly mixed in. Are you and your soldiers up to it?"

The fox immediately stood and bared his fangs in an almost menacing manner. Naruto got the feeling that the fox was smiling.

"We will decimate them in your honor, Taishou. Not a one will be left alive!"

Feeling a bit of the bloodlust that his fox-summon was feeling, Naruto couldn't help but grin a little bit evilly as well.

Especially considering that was exactly what he wanted to do to them in the first place.

Turning around, Naruto eyed the thoroughly shocked Kakashi, and the gaping Nin behind him. The bridge builder's family looked shocked…stunned…and perhaps, Naruto surmised, they looked just a bit hopeful.

Smirking and walking up to his sensei, he simply crossed his arms. "You wanted an army, I have an army. Need anything else?"

After a moment, Kakashi looked down at him, his shocked expression still lingering. "…Naruto…when we have some time, we're going to have a very long, very _important_ discussion."

Naruto just grinned in a decidedly vulpine manner, looking much like the massive fox summon standing behind him.

Kakashi, schooling himself once more, continued to look at his pupil. "…but yes, actually. I do need a few other things. We're not exactly set to go just yet."

Scowling, Naruto was about to retort, before Kakashi held up a hand. "An army of…foxes…is all well and good. _Very_ good, actually. But we need more preparation before we set off. For example, I'd like to have Haku and Zabuza battle-ready in the next hour or so."

This seemed to break Kurenai from her reverie over the fox-army that Naruto had just summoned. "_WHAT_?! You're going to _heal_ them? Are you _insane_, Kakashi? We've gotten our information out of them already! We should kill Zabuza and let Haku go, or just kill them both! Have you forgotten, again, that just days before, they were missing Nin trying to kill me and my students?! I can bear taking them prisoner, and I can even bear healing the girl…but this…what are you thinking?!"

Kurenai, apparently, had forgotten once again who she was dealing with.

Kakashi walked up to her, his face set in stone, and his Ki leaking from him freely. Kurenai's expression immediately changed to one of almost apprehension.

"Kurenai. You are a Jounin, are you not?"

The red-eyed beauty could only nod.

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Then you, of all people, should know how the Shinobi world works. Today's enemy is tomorrow's ally. People you are killing tomorrow could have been your staunchest supporters the day before. Alliances are made and broken in the same day. Missions that have the best intentions can be the greatest trap your enemy can set. Allegiances are as flimsy as the paper the contract is written on."

Kurenai literally shrunk back from the harsh sound of Kakashi's voice. Even Iruka looked to be intimidated, even though the tirade wasn't aimed for him. The Genin's looked frightened, save for Sasuke and Naruto, and Anko was just leaning up against a tree, staring at the ground.

This was a lesson she had already learned.

Kakashi got even closer, and began talking in a subdued voice, not allowing anyone but her to hear him. "I understand your trepidation. I understand it completely. The difference, Kurenai-_chan_, is that I don't care. Zabuza and Haku both have nothing left to gain by betraying us. They have nothing to gain by helping us either, however, if I know Zabuza's type, he wants revenge…and as much of a submissive _dog_ as Haku is, she'll follow him to the ends of the earth and then some. They will be powerful allies, Kurenai. And _because_ they're missing Nin, we don't have to worry about their safety or even their lives. Are you understanding me?"

Kurenai could do naught but nod. In truth, she now completely understood where Kakashi was coming from. It was brilliant. To be expected from him, of course.

Kakashi leaned in a little further and got right by her ear. "Good. Do not question my authority again. You're an able Jounin, a good ninja, and a good teacher, but should you circumvent my orders or resist them in any way from now on, I'll incapacitate you until we get back to Konoha, and then I'll have you court marshaled. If you want to be accepted as a Jounin, as fresh as you are, then start acting like it. Are we clear?"

Again, Kurenai could do nothing except nod…shakily. With wide eyes.

Smiling, and in a much more subdued and friendly tone, he kept talking in her ear. "Good. I like you. I don't want to hurt my friends and comrades…but there's a fine line between concern and treason. Don't take any of this personally…I'm just helping you become what a Jounin should be."

With that, he clapped his hand on her shoulder, gave it a squeeze, and leaned back, his face set once more impassively as he turned around to look at Naruto.

Kurenai didn't move.

"Get going on that then. Give Haku some chakra, heal Zabuza and do a once-over on Kiba and Shino again. We leave in an hour."

Nodding, Naruto began to trot back in the house, gathering Haku with him.

The girl had heard everything, and was doing everything in her power not to break out into the largest smile possible. Zabuza would be healed. She hadn't had to threaten, or bargain or even plead.

Allowing herself the smallest of grins, she turned to Naruto, who would be the one to heal her Zabuza.

"Thank you."

Naruto, somehow understanding what Haku was conveying, merely gave her a lopsided grin. "No problem."

Once the two youngsters had entered the house, Kakashi turned to the rest of his team. "Everyone head inside and start getting ready. Replenish your Kunai, shuriken, explosive notes…you know the drill. Be ready in about forty five minutes. That'll give us time to strategize."

Everyone but Kakashi nodded and began trotting back inside the house. Kakashi turned back towards the foxes, which were still in the clearing. Many of them looked to be stretching, or smelling…or just acting like foxes should act.

Walking up to the large fox, he coughed to get his attention.

The fox turned around from sniffing something to gauge Kakashi with his large eyes. Huffing, the fox turned around completely and sat on his haunches.

"Yes, ningen?"

Kakashi showed nothing of being insulted. "…you and your foxes can wait out here…right? While we prepare?"

The large fox huffed again, and it yipped once, almost like a chuckle. "We will do whatever the Taishou commands us to. Thus far, he has not given us any orders to do anything; therefore, here we shall remain until he does. His word is absolute."

At this, Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "…you refer to him as 'Taishou'…General. How did he gain your trust and allegiance so quickly? I was under the impression that summoned animals are finicky about who summons them."

In truth, Kakashi just wanted some information. He was mostly in the dark about Naruto's abilities…something he planned to rectify.

The onyx colored fox huffed once more, seeming to growl afterwards. "He is our general, as commanded by the commander-in-chief. We need not know any more than that. As for your comparison to 'summoned animals'…we are not as _lowly_ as to be considered with that _trash_, ningen. Animals we may be, and summoned we may be, but we are not like the _others_ that your pathetic race has contracts with."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed even further. "In what ways are you different, then? And who is this 'commander in chief?"

The fox laid down on all fours and waved his paw dismissively, yawning in Kakashi's face. The size of his jaw was roughly half the size of Kakashi's entire body. "I have said all I will say, ningen. If you wish to know more, speak to the Taishou. Should he deem you worthy, he will grace you with the information you seek."

Not pressing the dismissal, Kakashi simply nodded curtly and turned around, heading back towards the house.

------------------------------------------------------------------

For the first time in his relatively short medical career, Naruto wasn't exactly sure that he could fix something.

Because he had no idea what was wrong.

He had run his diagnostic Jutsu over Zabuza probably five times already. Each time, he had come up with the same thing. Vital signs normal, normal chakra, no serious injuries. Yet, the man kept staring straight forward at the ceiling, his eyes blinking once every few seconds.

It was as if he simply…_wasn't there_.

Sighing, he turned around to regard Kurenai, who had taken up residence on the wall directly behind him…ostensibly to keep him company, and guard him should Zabuza become violent. Naruto noticed that her features seemed to be fluctuating between many emotions, ranging from outright hatred to almost resignation.

"Kurenai-sensei…what Jutsu did you use on him, exactly? I can't really find anything wrong with him." He hoped that Kurenai would be able to give him more information to work with, and point him in the right direction.

Kurenai narrowed her eyes slightly, but sighed and drooped her head afterwards. "An extremely powerful Genjutsu/Ninjutsu hybrid. It affects the brain directly…something about the cerebral cortex or something to do with higher brain function. To be honest, it was a desperation Jutsu…I only barely know it."

Naruto's eyes widened in comprehension. "Oh…so it's a brain injury. That makes sense. But my diagnostic Jutsu should have picked up any irregularities in his brain structure…as it is, his brain is perfectly normal…near as I can tell anyway."

Kurenai simply shrugged dismissively. "You're the medic-Nin. You know way more about what might be wrong with him than I do."

The blonde haired prodigy threw her a half scowl. "That…and you don't really want to be helping me in the first place."

Again, Kurenai shrugged. Naruto just shook his head slightly and went back to looking over the missing-Nin in front of him. He barely even registered Haku, who was sitting roughly parallel to him across of Zabuza's body.

In truth, Naruto wasn't exactly sure what to do. He had barely delved into anything regarding the brain during his studies…it was an extremely advanced topic. He only really knew enough to perform chakra-anesthesia and paralysis…beyond that, it was a mystery to him.

Setting his hands above Zabuza's head, he activated a diagnostic Jutsu again, and delved into his link with Kyuubi, who was sitting near his lap.

'_Any ideas? I could just use the regeneration Jutsu with your chakra…but that'd put me out of commission for a little bit.'_

Kyuubi seemed to pause in her own musings…Naruto got the distinct empathetic impression that she was mulling over the events with Inari…and gave a thoughtful hum over their link. _**'From what little Kurenai described…the Jutsu she used is essentially a chakra-overload of parts of a person's brain. If it affects the cerebrum, then it affects higher-brain function…and if it does that…then essentially, the brain becomes a slave to the brain stem…the simplest part of the brain that controls heartbeat, breathing, and so on and so forth. All of your autonomous functions would keep going…as do your more instinctual ones…but any sense of thinking or human thought is essentially killed. And yes, I was thinking over the incident with Inari. Don't push it.'**_

Naruto, not understanding some of what Kyuubi said, and not wanting to upset her, began to think this over, dropping the other possible subject. _'…so, is his brain _wiped_, or is it just overloaded? Can we press a reset switch somewhere, or is he just too brain damaged? Like, will he have to learn to walk again, and talk again, and…?'_

Kyuubi shook her little fox head, something Naruto picked up with his peripheral vision. _**'Not wiped. Only something that affects the neurons themselves could do something like that. This is more like…pumping too much water through a hose. Something's going to backfire, and you're going to have water everywhere. You just have to decrease the pressure and repair the damage…hmm. There's an idea.'**_

The demon container just waited for Kyuubi to elaborate, which she did only second afterwards. _**'Let me explain something. The brain stem is the 'oldest' part of a person's brain. It controls all of the most basic functions of a person. You don't have to 'think' about making your heart beat or your lungs breathe…the brain stem just **_**does**_** it. The brain stem can even act without the rest of the brain being active or even **_**there**_** most of the time. Hell, lizards and other smaller, simpler organisms don't even **_**have**_** brains; so much as they have an overdeveloped brainstem. Are you following me thus far?'**_

Naruto nodded imperceptibly.

Kyuubi continued. _**'The cerebrum is essentially the parallel opposite of the brain stem. It controls all of what makes a human a human. Higher thought, speech, reasoning, art, mathematics…the list goes on. It **_**does**_** affect a few autonomous things, but most of everything you 'think' of is generated by the cerebrum.'**_

'_**So logically…if the Jutsu that Kurenai used affects the cerebrum and everything associated thereof, then what it did was effectively bypass the rest of the brain, and just went for the vulnerable part…the cerebral cortex. Most likely, it simply disrupted the flow of electrical signals and chemical cascades…effectively stopping traffic in his brain. The neurons would still transmit, and the synapses would still occur, but they'd never hit their intended target, because everything would be **_**off**_** slightly. Most likely, this would cause a buildup of un-delivered transmitter chemicals in the brain, and more than that, the neurons would keep trying to send the same signal over and over again.'**_

Naruto's eyes widened in comprehension. _'The hose got off-kilter from the faucet, and the water's flooding everything. Is that about right?'_

Although Kyuubi didn't show it, she was proud that Naruto had understood something so complex so quickly…regardless of the fact that she was still perturbed with him from before. _**'Essentially, yes. My guess as to how to fix it, is that if you were to stimulate the brain stem on some level, and then sweep away all the clogging chemicals, the stem would naturally 'right' the cerebrum…given enough healing chakra at least. The brain stem is responsible for healing any kind of brain damage, after all. It just can't at the moment, because everything's so clogged.'**_

Smiling, Naruto stopped his diagnostic Jutsu and gave Kyuubi a scratch behind the ear, earning a reluctant sigh of contentment from the fox. Reluctant, because it was somewhat embarrassing, and it didn't allow for Kyuubi to stay mad at him.

Lifting his head to Haku, who had an almost forlorn expression on her face, he gave a megawatt grin. "I think I figured it out. How to fix Zabuza."

Haku's head and eyes immediately shot up. Kurenai, behind him, muttered something close to 'I could've fixed him _easy_.' Regardless, she was somewhat awed by the speed and efficiency at which Naruto worked. It was no small feat to figure out how to heal a Jutsu that affects the brain.

Disregarding Kurenai's mutterings, Naruto put his left hand behind Zabuza's head, near the base of his skull, and the other on top of his forehead. Concentrating, he was about to begin with his little operation, when Kurenai told him to stop.

Looking behind him in annoyance, he grumbled out, "What is it this time?!"

Kurenai rolled her eyes, but gave him a slightly apologetic look. "Wait until I get Kakashi and Anko. If he wakes up and starts trying to kill us all, I want reinforcements."

Naruto, recognizing at least that she had a point, simply nodded. Kurenai walked out of the room and up the stairs, only to return with both of the other Jounin only minutes later.

Kakashi, Anko and Kurenai all simultaneously got out Kunai. "Naruto…are you ready?"

Responding to his sensei, he simply nodded his head. Kakashi, in turn, nodded his.

"Do it."

His hands already positioned at the correct spots, he did.

Immediately, he could feel the problem. With a direct connection to the stem, he could feel the clog in Zabuza's brain. It felt almost like what nasal congestion would feel like…but…more…_tingly_. Activating the medical chakra on his other hand, he began to focus on clearing out the clog.

It was extremely easy. The transmitter-chemicals almost literally just popped out of existence when hit with even the most general of interference. The neurons began firing again, full force, as he kept clearing out the stray chemicals, but he was able, at least, to keep ahead of the production.

Focusing more medical chakra into his hand near the brain stem, he forced it all into Zabuza's biggest nerve.

The results were immediate. Zabuza began convulsing violently, hands turned inwards and eyes rolled into the back of his head. Faster than Naruto could blink, all three Jounin were holding him down by his legs and arms.

Kakashi looked at him seriously. "What's going on?"

Naruto, continuing to concentrate, just shook his head slightly. "Long story short, his mind is resetting itself…this grand mal seizure is just a side effect. I think this is normal…I hope."

Haku, who had been shoved out of the way by Kakashi, began to look extremely worried.

For minutes, Naruto kept at it, sweeping the wayward chemicals and damaged neurons away with his right hand, while funneling as much chakra as he could into Zabuza's brain stem as he could. Near as he could tell, it was working, but he couldn't tell how quickly, nor could he tell if he was damaging anything else. On pure faith, he simply increased his chakra output as high as it would go; hoping that what he was doing wasn't inadvertently killing his patient.

As his chakra increased, so did the convulsions.

"Stop it! You're killing him!"

Faster than Naruto could blink…again…Haku was coming at him, a senbon in her hand. Naruto grimaced, but didn't take his hands away from the Nin's head for an instant. He figured that he could take a senbon. Besides, his concentration was already spent…he couldn't even afford to try to dodge.

Luckily for him, he didn't have to. Iruka, who he hadn't even noticed entering the room, used a basic taijutsu move to subdue the girl, putting her hands behind her back and effectively sitting on them. Throwing a thankful glance to his former sensei, he returned all of his concentration to doing what he could for Zabuza.

Haku, who by now was almost sobbing, continued to almost scream for him to stop. He…mostly successfully…blocked it out.

After a few more minutes, the convulsions stopped. He continued his chakra for a few moments more, and then stopped the flow to his hands, slipping his left out from under the back of the Nin's head, and wiping his other on his pants. Zabuza had been sweating quite a bit.

Lifting his left hand up once more, he activated his diagnostic Jutsu.

It felt…normal. As normal as it could be, anyway, considering what he'd just been through. The neurons seemed to be firing perfectly, the synapses were perfectly aligned, and the brain stem, though obviously a bit taxed, was still doing its job.

None of this explained, however, why Zabuza was still just staring blankly at the ceiling.

Or rather…Naruto guessed that he wasn't. His eyes were fixed solely on him, unblinking, and dilated. His fingers were twitching, and his jaw was clenched.

"…Blondie…what in the fuck did you just do to me?"

More quickly than he could react, a Kunai was at Zabuza's throat. Three of them actually. The missing Nin tensed, becoming stock still more quickly than he thought possible.

Naruto figured that he might as well answer the question.

"I…uh…healed you. You were kinda…almost brain dead."

Zabuza's eyes widened slightly. "…what? How is that possible? The last thing I remember is walking away from that hot, red-eyed chick whose arm I cut off…and then…nothing…"

Kurenai's kunai twitched.

Before Naruto could respond, he heard an almost imperceptible sob from where Haku was still pinned to the floor. Kakashi, giving Iruka a small nod, allowed the Chuunin to release the girl. She promptly made her way over to where Zabuza was sitting, and seeing that he was ok, began crying on his chest.

Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Oi…Haku…what are you doing?"

Haku looked up and wiped her eyes, giving her master a small, genuine smile…not unlike a puppy. "…I…thought you were dead, Zabuza-sama. I really thought you were going to die. But…you're…you're alive…"

The girl broke into a fresh round of happy tears.

Zabuza's eyes didn't soften for a moment. "Yes, I'm alive…and now we're captured by the enemy. Good work, really."

Haku didn't even flinch.

Naruto scowled. "You're not captured, idiot. I wouldn't have healed you if you were a prisoner. Or maybe I would have…but…" he cursed. "Just shut up and be thankful you're alive. A lot has changed since Kurenai hit you with that Jutsu."

The missing-Nin's eyes widened. "You mean Kurenai did this? That tall bombshell with the tits? Wow…that's impressive, for a woman at least."

This time, Kurenai and Anko's kunai both twitched.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and funneled a bit of Kyuubi's chakra into his system. Immediately, he felt more euphoric…and more brazen. He needed this guy to take the situation seriously.

To Zabuza's credit, the only sign of Zabuza being intimidated, was his eyes widening to saucers.

"Listen to me _well_, Zabuza. The only reason I healed you is because you're an _asset_ to us, and you _owe_ us. Anything more than that is incidental at best. Now cut the _shit_, and hear me out. Otherwise, I'll just slit your throat right now and get it over with. Understand?"

To Naruto's chagrin, Zabuza just chuckled, though slightly nervously. "You're a thousand years too early intimidate _me_, kid…though you do a pretty good job with that weird chakra of yours."

Before Naruto could growl and rip the Nin to shreds, Zabuza simply sighed, giving an indication that he was placated. "…but fine, whatever. I'll listen to what you have to say. Beats going back and forth with a brat, anyway."

Naruto, now just exasperated, sighed and shook his head, motioning for Kakashi to take over…or whatever. He was just a bit tired.

Getting the hint, Kakashi began relaying the story, going from when Kurenai used the Jutsu on him, to just minutes before, when Naruto had healed him. Throughout the story, Zabuza's face remained mostly impassive. Naruto, and ostensibly, the rest, however, noticed that when the part of the story when the Stone Nin hunted him and Haku came around, his eyes narrowed, only slightly. He also to, seemed to relax visibly at hearing that Naruto had saved the girl…and him…from certain death. His features only changed for a few moments each time, however.

When Kakashi was done, Zabuza simply began staring at the ceiling again, seeming to be in deep thought. Internally, all present…with the possible exception of Haku…were hoping that the missing-Nin stayed true to his personality.

After a few minutes of silence, Zabuza began to chuckle, and then outright laugh. It sounded decidedly evil…if mischievous…to Naruto's ears.

"So…that bastard Gato saw fit to betray me…and hire _other Nin_ at that. Heh, if I hadn't been under that beautiful lady's spell at the time, I would have just slaughtered the lot of them, and to hell with the odds."

Naruto smirked. "You still can, you know."

Zabuza turned to him and gave him a knowing smirk. "Of course, that's what you're playing at, isn't it? You want my help to storm the place and rescue your friends or whatever."

Disregarding any pretenses of subterfuge, Naruto just nodded.

Chuckling again, Zabuza turned his gaze to the ceiling once more. A gleam settled in his eyes as he seemed to tense and almost gain a _luster_ about him. To Naruto, it felt very similar to bloodlust.

With what Naruto assumed was a smile on his face…hidden behind the bandages…Zabuza chuckled again, this time, much more malevolently. "…Sure…why the hell not? It'll be fun…besides…my sword could use a few more bloodstains."

Naruto, understanding a bit of a kindred spirit when he saw one…at least in the way they thought of battle…smiled right back with the same almost malevolent quality…his pupils slitted ever so slightly. "Oh yes. There will be blood. Lots of blood."

Zabuza turned to Naruto, his grin increasing, and the skin where his eyebrow should have been rising slightly. "…I think I like you kid."

Naruto only smiled more.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking back on it, as he double-checked his equipment, giving Haku chakra was _very_ different from giving chakra to Sasuke.

Not in the actual procedure, of course…it had been the same as before. Place your hand on the patient's stomach, and force chakra into their coils. Repeat as necessary.

The difference had been…that Sasuke was a _male_.

Haku…_wasn't_. And it had been…_obvious_.

He had pulled up her shirt unceremoniously after getting her to lay flat on her back, and placed his hand on her stomach without even thinking about it. He had started the chakra flow to his hand without thinking about it. It had been routine.

Until he saw her blush.

It was only then that he noticed the slight curve of her hips as they disappeared into her pants. It was only then that he noticed the slight rise and fall of her chest, denoting her budding assets, even under the wrappings. It was only then that he noticed that her stomach was smooth, flat, and that her skin was almost silky to the touch.

It wasn't until then that he _too_ blushed a rather impressive shade of red.

And for the life of him, he couldn't quite figure out why.

He had been around females quite a bit. Kyuubi, Hinata, Tenten, even Sakura. And while he would freely acknowledge that each of them was beautiful in their own right…none of them had quite elicited the same response in him that a mere touch on Haku had.

He wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. Was it some sort of corny, fairy-tale 'love at first touch' thing? Was he simply reacting to the _feeling_ of touch? Was _human contact_ such a foreign concept that merely laying a hand on a girl's stomach could make him all but turn into a tomato?

And why _Haku_ of all girls? He had been around other females for far longer…and he had never quite had this reaction.

Then again…now that he looked back on it…

Pausing as he put a Kunai into his backpack…he sighed exasperatedly. Of course. He had never really touched any of his female friends in _that sort of way_ before. Ever. The only person he had ever touched like that had been…

_Sasuke_ of all people.

For whatever reason, he withheld the urge to wretch.

Thankfully, a light rapping on the door broke him from his reverie. He was currently in an upstairs bedroom, alone, and sorting through his equipment. Most of the rest of the team were already downstairs, as they had been either already prepared, or been getting prepared while Naruto tended to his patients. Kyuubi was apparently outside, trying to smooth things over with the foxes. Absently, he wondered what had happened to the foxes that had been guarding Zabuza and Haku. He surmised that they had probably joined the group he had just summoned.

Noticing that he was currently only about halfway through packing, he simply shouted for the person to enter, trusting that the thin walls would carry his voice.

As he watched who walked through the door, he cursed whatever deities…or perhaps _deity_ that controlled his fate.

"Naruto-san…am I disturbing you?"

Naruto put on a slight smile…surprised when he hadn't had to force it…and motioned for Haku to come in and sit down. "Not at all. Just getting my stuff ready."

Haku returned his smile and sat down on a nearby futon, keeping her knees together and her hands clasped in her lap, a very formal posture.

For a few minutes, with only the sounds of Naruto packing his bag to break the silence, Haku said nothing. Naruto chalked it up to nerves…or something. Honestly, he didn't much care. The silence was comfortable, for some reason.

At least, it was comfortable until Haku broke it.

Bowing her head slightly, she seemed to tense. "I…wanted to thank you. For everything that you've done for Zabuza-sama and myself. You have done far more for us…than anyone else I can remember. You have my…and…Zabuza-sama's gratitude."

Naruto, for his part, had stopped packing his backpack. Instead, he sighed slightly and turned around, sitting down on the floor in the process. He gave Haku a small smile…which she didn't see, as her head was still bowed.

To be honest, Naruto had nothing to say to that. He wasn't very used to people thanking him for anything. To him, it was an extremely awkward situation. He briefly wished that he had taken 'lessons' from Tenten before he left.

"You're…uh…welcome, I guess. I mean, I just did what I thought was right…it's not like I went out of my way or anything, you know. It's no big deal." Naruto decided to simply try to downplay his part in the whole thing. Perhaps convincing the girl that he was simply acting on his scruples would be enough to convince her that he didn't really need her thanks.

To his displeasure…he thought…it seemed only to encourage her. She finally looked up, and gave him one of the most heartwarming smiles he had ever seen.

In some portion of his mind, he registered her face, at that moment, as the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"And that is why I am thanking you, Naruto-kun. You were not acting because you had to…or because there was something in it for you…you were simply doing what you thought was _right_. To have such a kind soul towards complete strangers…is something I have never truly ever encountered before."

To be expected…Naruto was speechless. What do you say to something like that? How do you respond? To be thanked in such a way…to have someone pour themselves out to you like this…

Naruto had no idea what to do…or what to say. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily for him, Haku apparently wasn't finished.

The girl fully straightened herself and wiped one of her eyes, discarding a teardrop that had yet to fall. The smile never quite left her face.

"In all my life…in all my travels with Zabuza-sama…I have never truly been shown the kindness that you have shown me. Honestly…it is foreign to me to believe, or even contemplate someone actually…risking their life…_for me_. Yet, you did so freely, of your own will, simply because you thought it was right. I…I am not sure if you can comprehend this, but to me…" She trailed off for a moment, as if searching for the correct way to convey her feelings.

She needn't have. At that moment, Naruto understood. He understood her. More than anyone else in the world, perhaps, at that moment…he _understood_ the girl in front of him. It was just so glaringly obvious.

"_I am not sure if you can comprehend this…"_

He could. The girl didn't know him well enough to know this…but he could. He truly understood exactly where she was coming from.

"…to you…it is something precious, isn't it? To be treated with such kindness…because…you have never really been shown any, have you?"

Haku's eyes widened incredibly. Her eyebrows shot up, her mouth hung agape…and perhaps, for a moment, she stopped breathing.

Naruto, on the other hand, lowered his head, and emitted a sad, almost weary chuckle.

This was truly a kindred spirit. This was someone else who had grown up so badly…so harshly…that they knew nothing but hate, derision, and hardship.

He recognized it in her voice, her posture, her eyes…now that he knew, he could see it, so plainly. She looked so familiar. So much like the reflection in the mirror he saw every morning. Even though he had no idea what had happened to the girl, or what hardships she had gone through…to him, it didn't really matter.

Looking back up, he gazed at Haku, straight into her eyes, hoping to convey what he would say in more than just words. "…yeah. I can comprehend it. It's amazing isn't it? For people like us, who have known nothing but tragedy in our lives…who have grown up in a harsh way, in a harsh environment…to be treated with kindness is like a drink of the coldest water in the desert, or a breath of fresh air amongst poison. For the few that treat us well…we consider them precious to us, because they are the few that can make us feel better."

One tear slid down Haku's left cheek. Naruto merely smiled…a kind, understanding, and heartwarming smile.

Standing, he walked over to Haku and knelt down on both knees, bringing himself to eye level with the girl.

He knew what she needed. He knew, because he too had been in the same situation before.

Iruka…Sandaime…Kyuubi…they had been the ones to save him from the darkness. To keep him sane. To give him that breath of fresh air, that drink of cold water. His precious people.

She needed human contact. Just as much as he had. The only difference is that she had not yet experienced it.

Naruto was almost surprised that she hadn't long ago broken. He was sure he would have.

Leaning forward, he enveloped her in a simple hug. It carried with it the simple power of knowing someone out there actually cared.

She broke down crying.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Downstairs, Kyuubi felt something wash over her. A sense of kinship…understanding…perhaps…

She allowed herself a smile. Naruto was feeling…again…things that he had felt only fleetingly in his life before.

Closing her eyes, and ignoring the foxes that were sending her wary looks, she allowed herself to bask in it, hoping that by her actions, she could allow him to feel this feeling even more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five minutes later, when Naruto filed down the stairs with a fully battle-ready Haku trailing behind him, no one was any the wiser as to the events that had transpired.

Instead, it seemed as though everyone had simply been waiting…patiently, for the most part, for Naruto and Haku to arrive. Glancing over the assembled Shinobi, Naruto noted that they were all very much battle-ready, just as much as he and Haku were. Shino and Kiba were still bandaged in some places, but he had already double-checked them with a medical Jutsu earlier, and pronounced them able to fight.

Zabuza, who was leaning against a door jam, his arms crossed and his sword hanging off his back once more, gave Haku a mere glance as she trod down the wooden staircase. Naruto noted that she immediately made her way to his side. He guessed that they had some sort of silent communication that only they understood.

Kakashi, noticing that everyone seemed to be ready, cleared his throat. "I think it's time we get this show on the road. There are few things we need to get out of the way right now, however."

Glancing over at Zabuza, Kakashi gave the man a level glare, something that was returned in spades. "Zabuza…whatever your reasons are for accompanying us on this mission are your own…however, I will not have you endangering those under my command for any reason, understood?"

The zanbato wielding missing-Nin just huffed and made a dismissive gesture with his free hand…amounting to an acceptance of terms. Kakashi nodded curtly.

"Secondly…during this mission, I expect all of you to follow my orders as closely as you can. Regardless of the fact that we now have backup, courtesy of Naruto…"

Naruto smiled smugly behind his mask.

Kakashi continued. "…we still need to be careful. Undoubtedly, in addition to the small Nin-army that Gato has amassed, he probably still has a sizeable mercenary force as well. Mercenaries may not be a real challenge for ninja, but even so, all it takes is one slip up and they can slip a katana into your ribcage when you aren't looking. By following my orders, you should be able to avoid such situations."

The cyclopean Jounin knelt down and pointed…again with a kunai…at a map that was laid out on the floor. Circled in red was an area a few miles from their current position. "This is our target area. According to information that Zabuza was able to fill me in on, the compound itself is scattered somewhat. Some parts of the buildings are not connected with each other, while others have false-fronts and even a few having disguised entrances. The place is designed towards battling off a large scale invasion…not an infiltration…but it still hampers our efforts."

Moving his kunai to point at the area where they were currently at…the wave village…Kakashi glanced at Anko. "However, we still need to make sure we protect this village from harm, including…perhaps especially so…Tazuna and his family. I wouldn't put it past Gato to somehow know we're coming…and more than that, I wouldn't at all be surprised if he attempts to attack this village while we are indisposed. That's where you come in, Anko.

Said Jounin straightened slightly and gained a focused edge as Kakashi stood once more and turned to look at her. "You, Kiba and Shino will be staying behind here in the village to protect it from just such an incursion. With Naruto's…permission…you will also have the backup of a few foxes as well. Your orders will be to eliminate any threat on sight, and ask questions later."

Kiba bristled and clenched his fists at his sides. "WHAT? You're leaving me and Shino behind? Hell no! Hinata's OUR teammate, and we'll be the ones to save her, damn it!"

Shino merely nodded.

Kakashi's one visible eye narrowed, and Kiba's brash demeanor vanished within seconds. "Are you questioning my orders? If you're Shinobi, act like it. You two are still injured, regardless of Naruto pronouncing you medically sound, and for a full-scale assault like this, you would only be a hindrance. If you want to save your teammate, think more of the bigger picture. You'll do much more good here than you would there…and if you were actually with us during the assault, and needed to be rescued due to your injuries, you could jeopardize the entire mission, and therefore endanger Hinata and Sakura further. Do you understand?"

Kiba scowled…but after a few seconds, nodded. He still looked rather forlorn, but with a comforting hand on his shoulder from Kurenai, he at least had the brevity to smile softly.

Kakashi turned back to Anko and gave her a silent imperative to keep both Genin safe. Anko, recognizing it, merely nodded.

Returning his gaze to the rest of the assembled Nin, he began once more. "With Anko and Kurenai's Genin here, we will be cut off from them once we reach our target point. The radio frequency doesn't extend that far. To account for this, I'm going to leave my fastest dog here to be an emergency communications tool, should they need it. If they do, Kurenai and Iruka will be the ones to break off and head back to the village as backup."

The red eyed Jounin and the Chuunin dolphin merely nodded.

Nodding back, Kakashi returned his focus to the map. "Getting back to the target…each of us will have a certain job to do once we actually reach the location. First and foremost, everyone's number one priority is to locate, secure and evacuate our two missing Genin. Specifically however, Kurenai, Iruka and Naruto will be in charge of finding Hinata, while myself and Sasuke will be attempting to locate Sakura."

Narrowing his eyes once more, Kakashi glanced outside slightly. "During this time, Naruto's foxes will be engaged with the enemy. Hopefully, their interference will be enough to allow us to force entry into the compound without heavy resistance. Naruto, assuming he has enough chakra for the job, will also need to create as many Kage Bunshin as he is able to, merely for distraction purposes."

Naruto nodded and began mentally calculating just how many Kage Bunshin he could create without needlessly tiring himself.

Kyuubi perked up from her perch on Naruto's neck, having retreated to its safety during Kakashi's speech. _**'Just use my chakra for the job. That way you don't needlessly waste yours.'**_

Mentally, Naruto agreed.

Kakashi turned to Kurenai then. "Kurenai, during the initial sortie, your job will be mostly support. Any Genjutsu that you can apply to make our opponents more easily killed should be applied immediately. Your skills lie mostly there, and if I surmise correctly, your talents in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu lack somewhat in comparison to mine. You will be the only other Jounin there, and as such, should I become incapacitated or otherwise, you will need to be there to take the reigns."

Scowling…only slightly…at the fact that she was being underestimated…she nodded.

He turned to Iruka, and gave Naruto a glance as well, indicating that this applied to both of them. "Your jobs will be to guard Kurenai to the best of your abilities. Iruka, having fought with you before, I know your talents lie mostly in –"

"I think I might surprise you, Hatake-san. Just leave it to me." Iruka gave Kakashi the slightest of knowing grins.

Kakashi's eyes widened…almost imperceptibly. His only thought…was that somehow…Iruka _knew_. All at once, the thought of sending Iruka and Naruto _together_ sounded like a horrible idea.

Regardless…he didn't have much choice. He was the rough equivalent of Kurenai and Iruka put together…and since Naruto and Sasuke were at approximately the same skill level, that evened things out.

He schooled himself, and brushed aside his doubts. If Iruka knew about…_that_…then he shouldn't have to worry about Kurenai…or about Iruka or even Naruto.

Hopefully…assuming Iruka was as responsible as he hoped he was.

Nodding to the Chuunin after his somewhat lengthy pause, he managed to refocus his thoughts. Turning to Zabuza and by proxy, Haku, his eye went slightly more impassive than before. "Both of your skill levels and particular specialties are mostly unknown to me, aside from what I've read in the bingo book about you. As such, I'm only going to give you one simple order."

Zabuza raised a piece of skin where an eyebrow should have been, as if asking the Jounin just when he started taking orders from _him_.

Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Kill. Kill a lot of enemies. Thin their numbers, destroy their property, and in general, make a nuisance of yourselves. Aside from Naruto's Kage Bunshin's and his foxes, you two will be the main diversion and combat team. The more they focus on you, the better. The more you kill, the better. That is all I'll ask of you."

Zabuza, somewhat amused at having had such a simple order directed at him, only chuckled. "You didn't have to tell me _that_. I was planning on doing that anyway. More importantly though…that's the second time you've referred to 'foxes'. Just what the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto, on the other side of the room, surmised that the missing-Nin had yet to go outside from having been woken up. Otherwise, it would have been painfully obvious.

Kakashi's one visible eye seemed to gain some mirth. "…take a look outside. That should answer your question."

His face set in slight confusion, the missing Nin shoved himself off of the door jam and quietly walked to the door leading outside, pushing it open unceremoniously.

And then he stopped. For a good fifteen seconds, he simply stood there, gazing outside at what obviously was something he had never quite seen before.

Glancing back inside from the door, he looked directly at Naruto. "…brat…_you_ did this?"

Naruto nodded.

Zabuza glanced back outside, before shutting the door and walking back over to his previous spot. "…remind me, kid…not to get on your bad side. Just what the fuck _are_ you, anyway?"

Smiling behind his mask, Naruto shrugged, as though saying that he himself didn't quite know. Close beside him, Sasuke smirked.

Zabuza only shook his head and sighed in apparent exasperation.

Undaunted from the little diversion, Kakashi continued. "After we make entry, we will split up into our two separate teams, and go looking for our targets. My nose will be sufficient to find Sakura, and Naruto's should be up to the task of finding Hinata. I'll send Pakkun with you, just in case, however."

Kneeling once more, Kakashi rolled up the map and put it in his pouch. Reaching behind him, he hefted his pack onto his shoulders. "That should be the long and short of it. We get in, we find them, and we get out. Don't take unnecessary risks, be careful, and this should go swimmingly. Any questions?"

Looking around, the Cyclops received none.

Nodding, he began walking towards the door, when he turned around and gave the group a harder look than he had exhibited before. His body seemed to tense and coil, as if preparing for combat. Naruto noted it as Kakashi slipping himself back into the roll of an ANBU commander.

"…everyone, remember one thing. Hinata and Sakura are counting on us. Show the enemy no mercy, as they would show us none. They're stone Nin, and we are Konoha Nin. That is all that matters. Also remember that no plan survives first contact with the enemy…so prepare to improvise, should the situation require it. Above and beyond that, keep yourselves safe, and don't die. At the end of today, I want to be able to walk back into this village with everyone in one piece, are we clear?"

All of the assembled Nin, aside from Zabuza and Haku, issued a clipped and military, "Hai."

Kakashi nodded and turned around, heading for the door, his soldiers following him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Once the group was outside, Naruto began to stride up to the four-tailed leader of the fox-army he had summoned. As he drew closer, the up-until-now distracted foxes began to form up once more, and the leader once again bowed his head in his direction.

"Taishou-sama…am I to assume that it is time to head into battle?"

Naruto nodded curtly. "It is. I need you to leave behind a small contingent of foxes as backup for some of my friends, however. I'll leave it up to your discretion as to which ones."

Nodding, the fox looked behind him for a moment and yipped a few times. Almost instantly, five red and black colored two-tailed foxes and one ocher colored three-tail with weathered battle-armor appeared before him. The massive four-tail yipped and barked out what sounded to be orders, before the foxes gave what amounted to a nod, trotting over towards the group of Nin. Naruto offhandedly motioned to Anko as the one who was their temporary commander, and the foxes took up a slightly haphazard box formation around her…making the snake-Jounin extremely nervous.

Naruto stifled a chuckle, seeing the expression of almost comedic apprehension on her face. The Jounin threw him a slightly harried glare, before crossing her arms and huffing childishly. At that, Naruto couldn't help but laugh.

During this whole interlude, Kakashi had apparently lowered his mask to bite his thumb. This was evidenced by the small amount of blood on that same digit. Silently, Naruto cursed for missing what could have been a golden opportunity to see his Sensei's face.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Said Jounin slammed his hand into the ground, creating a small cloud of smoke. After a few moments, the smoke cleared away, revealing a rather mismatched pair of hounds. One was white, and had…

Sunglasses?

Apart from the rather strange apparel it had, the dog looked mostly common…wearing a small smock of sorts that denoted him as a Nin-dog. He was built lithely and lean, with long legs and a rather small torso and angled head.

Glancing at the other dog…it looked mostly unimpressive. It was a pug, he recognized…brown, with a black muzzle and a face only a mother could love. He too had a small smock on his back denoting his status.

Naruto was about to turn back to his own summon, when he heard a new voice come from Kakashi's general direction…that he had never heard before.

"Yo, Kakashi."

Looking around franticly, Naruto tried desperately to find where the voice had come from. It had been low and almost gravelly, denoting a male.

Kakashi eye-smiled while facing his summons. It was then that Naruto realized it was the DOG talking.

"Pakkun. We have a situation at the moment that we need you for."

The small pug just nodded its small head. Kakashi then knelt down to its level and proceeded to fill it in on the current situation in an abbreviated manner. When he was done, the white dog walked over to Anko and sat down almost square on her foot, growling slightly at the foxes. Pakkun hopped up on top of Iruka's head…making a rather…amusing sight.

Kakashi regained his serious aura and turned to Naruto once more, motioning him to fill in his own summon.

Complying, Naruto turned towards his four-tailed commander. "Follow me; kill anyone who gets in our way. When we get there…wreak havoc."

The fox grinned at Naruto toothily. "…and let loose the foxes of war?"

Quirking an eyebrow at the fox, Naruto tilted his head to the side in a motion of confusion. "…huh?"

The black fox merely chuckled…Naruto thought that it sounded almost _nervous_. "An expression from an ancient vernacular. 'Cry Havoc, and let loose the dogs of war!' was the original phrase…I was attempting to make humor of it, to no end. I apologize."

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle back, somewhat dispersing the tense atmosphere. "No need to apologize. Besides…that sounds pretty badass."

The fox once again chuckled, as did a few of the other foxes, in a chorus of yips and barks. It seemed they were enjoying some inside joke. "…I suppose if any one man in history could be called badass, Caesar would fit the description. A man after my own heart, for certain."

Naruto cocked his head in a confused manner once more. The fox shook its head.

"Another time, Taishou-sama. For now…I believe we have something to accomplish, correct?"

Said 'Taishou' schooled himself from the momentary diversion and nodded, motioning with his head for the great beast to follow him. Standing, the beast did just that, issuing a loud and resonating bark. The rest of the small army stood in a loose formation almost immediately.

"We are ready, Taishou-sama!"

Naruto grinned and nodded, turning back to Kakashi. Kakashi put his hand in the air, palm outwards and fingers tight together, a signal that meant 'standby' in ninja hand-code.

The second he brought it down, they all vanished, going at top speed towards their destination, save for Anko, her two Genin and the various animals they had with them, who collected Tazuna and made haste towards the bridge.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Inari had been standing on the roof of his house, just outside his window. He had been awestruck by the tenacity…bravery…_confidence_ that the ninja's had held. They seemed so sure…so incredibly sure that they would accomplish what they set out to do, even against someone like Gato…even against people who were apparently _stronger_ than Gato.

Trudging back inside the house through his window, he picked up a picture frame and stared at it with trepidation and…hope.

Hope was something that he hadn't had for years.

And now…

He began crying as he looked at the picture…he always did.

But at least this time, there was a smile on his face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

His eyes snapped open.

He could feel it. This…mass of chakra he had been feeling was getting closer by the second.

Kataiyoru Rouhi stood from his position in his study, leaving his book open on the table. Grabbing his cane from its position leaning against the wall, he made his way out the door and to an office down the hall. It was an office he had not had reason…or _want_…to go into very often, not very much liking the man that dwelled within it. At the moment, however, there was really no time to have a messenger deliver the information.

He didn't bother to knock as he swung the door open, revealing an extravagant room that wouldn't be out of place in a daimyo's castle somewhere. Red velvet on the walls, mirrors on the ceiling, hard wood accoutrement adorning the floor, and pieces of art and general _knick-knackery_ spread throughout the room. All in all, elegant, classy and terribly self-aggrandizing.

The short, ugly man sitting behind the desk near the back of the room seemed very out of place by comparison, save for the self-aggrandizing part.

The woman sitting on the desk in front of him, however, was the very image of elegant, save for the fact that she was completely nude, and currently…_satisfying_ herself in front of a very red-cheeked Gato. Rouhi withheld a snort of contempt.

Gato, upon seeing that there was another person in the room, turned towards him and scowled at him as hard as he could. The woman didn't seem to even notice, judging by the fact that she hadn't slowed down in the slightest. "Rouhi! What the hell do you want this time? I'm in the middle of…something!"

Rouhi didn't even deign to walk up to the desk. This wouldn't take much time. "The trap worked, my prey is currently on their way here. Whatever you want to do with the village, you can do it now. Simply do not interfere with my work, as per the agreement."

The portly man with sunglasses seemingly glued to his face looked startled for a moment, before getting a sick grin on his face. With a flick of his…_non engaged_ wrist, the whore in front of him stopped her ministrations and nodded, collecting her garments and walking out through the door, still naked as the day she was born. She managed to give Rouhi a seductive smirk on the way out.

He made a mental note to take her with them when they were done.

Glancing back at Gato, he found the man zipping up his pants and standing up, grabbing his own cane in the process. He started hobbling over towards him in a slow, decidedly _civilian_ manner. "It's about damned time. I was beginning to wonder if your little _plan_ was ever going to show results."

He wasn't about to engage the man in a handicapped battle of wits. "It has. Our agreement is terminated as of now. By the time you and your men return here, we will be gone."

Gato sneered at him, but continued hobbling towards the door. "Good riddance. You and your ninja are bad for business. With luck, we'll never see each other again."

Rouhi restrained the urge to smile, but only barely.

Instead, he simply strode towards and out the door, pausing only at the threshold to throw a glance back at the wealthy criminal. "I don't really believe in luck."

Before Gato could respond, Rouhi was already striding down the hallway at a fast clip, eager to set his plans into motion. This time, he allowed a smile to grace his face without restraint.

Approximately one hundred ninja versus the combined forces of up to three Jounin, a Chuunin and up to four Genin. Yes, luck had nothing to do with it. This was carefully planned, and carefully executed. He was using the foolish notion of team-solidarity against those idiotic Konoha Nin…and as planned, it had worked, perfectly. Without even reinforcements…without information…they would simply charge headlong into a trap the likes of which they had no chance of escaping from.

By the end of the day, the son of Yondaime would be dead, his cohorts ripped to shreds, and the village not more than five miles from them a smoking ruin. There would be no one left alive to tell the story of how Iwa had gone up against Konoha…and that's exactly how he wanted it.

After all…it wasn't time for war. Not yet, anyway.

Stopping his purposeful strides, he set his gaze on a door marked 'Prisoner'. Schooling himself once more, and drawing a syringe from his pocket, he slowly stepped in.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

She could see them moving. The ninja were scurrying around the compound like rats, focused seemingly on setting up some defensive barrier…or something. She was still somewhat groggy from having just woken up from another dose of their 'serum'.

The thought struck her, suddenly, that if they were going on the defensive…that must mean that there was an _offensive_ to match. They had to be defending from _something_…

Straining her Byakugan as far as she possibly could, she was able to increase her range of sight, taking in miles of foliage and forest. Her eyes hurt, she had a headache, and she could feel her chakra being rapidly depleted…but…

There. On the edge of her vision. She was just able to make out…

Wavy hair, a white mask, and a fox, along with…her sensei…and other people she couldn't readily place…

But that was…Naruto! Naruto was…he was actually coming! For her!

For Sakura…

No…not for her. Why would he care about her? She was just…a pathetic friend who just happened to be where Sakura was. That was all she was…pathetic…

Shaking herself from her self-depreciating thoughts, she tried to find the girl in question, hoping that she was still safe. She had just enough chakra left to be able to scout around the compound and find her…she hoped, anyway. She had to…for Naruto's sake.

To her relief, Sakura was still in her room, curled up in a ball on the makeshift bed they had given her. Hinata started retracting her chakra from her eyes, when she glimpsed a man outside her room, holding in his hand a small cylindrical object with a long thin protrusion.

A syringe.

The man walked calmly into Sakura's room, and without even pausing at the girl's protests, stuck the syringe in her arm. Within moments, Sakura was limp in the man's grasp, and without another moment's hesitation, the man hefted Sakura over his shoulder and began walking out of the room once more, bound for destinations unknown.

Hinata could have cried out, if there hadn't been a gag in place. What were they doing to her? Where was that old man taking her? She had to find out…she had to help…for Naruto, if for no one else…

Her thoughts came to a halt as the men in charge of her captivity came into the room once more, this time, their faces set in absolute impassivity. Another shadow followed closely behind them.

Perhaps their lack of expression frightened her more than any amount of leering ever would.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To ninja, the 'art' of jumping through trees using chakra enhanced leaps was, by the time they graduated, second nature. Focus chakra to your legs, release onto the branch, jump, use momentum to get to the next branch, repeat. It was monotonous, but oh so useful.

For most ninja, it was such an ingrained process, that they needn't even think about it. The mind just…_took care_ of it. You could set your body on autopilot and think of whatever it was that you wished to think about.

For Namikaze Naruto, the topic was Kyuubi.

The fox was perturbed with him. Perhaps that was being too mild. The fox was genuinely _mad_ at him, and _had_ been mad at him for some time, for _something_…presumably something to do with the incident with the demigod Inari. It wasn't exactly as if she conveyed it through her speech…though that was part of it…but rather, Naruto could feel it through their empathetic bond. It didn't feel like rage, or anger…but more along the lines of almost…

Humiliation? Regret? Resignation?

He stole a glance down at the fox around his neck. She was simply staring out into space, her beady little fox eyes scanning the area, while at the same time maintaining a singular focus on something in the distance. Naruto guessed that her sight allowed her to see much further than any of them could, save for the foxes that surrounded them on every side, of course.

Withholding a scowl, Naruto figured that if he was going into battle, he couldn't have a distraction like this.

'_We have some time before we get to the compound. If you feel like talking about what's on your mind, now would be a good time.'_

Much to his annoyance, there was naught but silence in response. He waited a good thirty seconds for her to respond with…_something_…anything really…but she didn't. Unable or unwilling to hold back his scowl this time, he prepared to delve completely into his mind-link, when her voice finally came up from the back of his mind.

'_**It's nothing. Just forget about it. We have more important things to focus on.'**_

Naruto growled deep in his throat. _This_ was important too.

'_It's not nothing; you've been brooding on it ever since we met Inari. And I can't focus well when the other party in my _mind_ is very much fixated on something _else_. Now spill.'_

Kyuubi imitated his growl from her perch. _**'You're way too fucking persistent. I'm telling you, drop it.'**_

Naruto's eyes narrowed. _'You've known me my entire life…have you ever known me to drop something when it involves a friend, or someone I consider precious? Persistence is what I _am_, down to a T. Now spill it, or I'm coming into the damned mindscape and _forcing_ you to spill it. Your choice.'_

Unseen to Naruto, Kyuubi flinched slightly when Naruto called her 'precious'. Not necessarily in pain or in surprise…but rather…something closer to denial.

A scowl made itself present on her cute little fox face, somewhat diminishing it's effect.

'…_**you really want to know what's bothering me? Do you really want to know?'**_

Naruto set his features, and nodded. Kyuubi sighed, but remained in her previous almost-pissed-off state.

'_**It's **_**you**_** Naruto. You and your god damned selfless nature. You just **_**had**_** to wish for me to get my body back, didn't you? You could have had your choice of anything, and you go and waste your wish on **_**me**_**. How foolish are you?'**_

Instead of being angry at being called foolish, Naruto seemed confused. _'…what? That's what this is all about? Me wishing for you to have your body back? Why the _hell_ would you be angry about something like that? I mean, you wanted your body back, right?'_

Kyuubi's scowl deepened. _**'Of course I wanted my body back! That's not the point! It doesn't **_**matter**_** what I want! You had a chance to wish for something **_**important**_** from a **_**demigod**_**, Naruto. Do you realize what you threw away? Riches beyond your wildest dreams, a Kekkai Genkai, immortality…you could have had so many things, Naruto, and yet, you chose to give **_**me**_** my body back. That's what I'm mad about!'**_

For a long moment, all was silent within the mind link, as Naruto presumably thought this revelation over. Kyuubi couldn't feel Naruto through the empathetic link they shared during this time, however…something that scared her slightly.

In reality, Naruto was trying his damnedest to reign himself in. Kyuubi was berating him for giving her something she wanted? Something she _longed_ for? Why on earth would she be bemoaning the fact that Naruto had given her something she wanted? It made absolutely no sense…but…

She had said…that it didn't matter what she wanted. Did she really think that way? Did she value her own happiness, her own goals, her own ambitions so lowly as to be secondary to anything and everything that _he_ wanted?

It was an alien concept to him…this…_disregard_ of everything, just for his happiness. Having someone who would give everything up for him…even their own happiness…

He didn't like it. They were in this together. They would survive together, they would thrive together, and they would live and die together.

He wouldn't have Kyuubi become a sieve. They would do it together, or not at all, damn it. To him, that was the very definition of friendship.

Steeling himself, he readied to set Kyuubi straight.

'_You are an idiot.'_

Understandably, Kyuubi started slightly. She made to retort, before Naruto interrupted her.

'_Do you remember what you told me when this first started? We're in this together. We'll try to make _**each other's**_ lives better. Not just me, but _us_. It doesn't matter what I have, or what I wished for, or any of that other bullshit, the fact of the matter is, I _wanted_ to give you your body back, and more than that, it's _done_. It's irreversible. And even if I _could_, I wouldn't! This relationship of ours isn't one-sided! We both give, we both take. That way, we don't lose anything in the end. Do you understand?'_

Halfheartedly, Kyuubi growled. _**'But you –**_**'**

Naruto almost barked in his mind. He paid it no mind. _'But nothing! You have your body back, I'm _glad_ you have your body back, and even though you won't admit it, you are too! So just _drop it_. I don't care if you're not thankful for it, and frankly, I don't care what I _could_ have had. I _wanted_ to give you your body back, and so _I did_. It's just that simple. Stop thinking that you're some kind of slave, stop thinking that you have to sacrifice everything for _me_, and for once, think of us as a _team_, rather than a master and servant, or something equally as stupid. You're my friend, my partner, and a precious person to me, Kyuubi. Don't ever think otherwise.'_

The blonde ninja, without ado, abruptly cut off the link, something he hadn't known he was able to do until just that moment. Empathetic, telepathic and otherwise, he was now effectively incommunicado with Kyuubi. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak to her, or feel what she felt, or anything to that effect…it was more…a _necessary_ thing. She needed to think over what he had said, and he couldn't afford to argue any longer. If his sense of smell were right…and it was…they were nearing the compound.

Instead, he simply reached up with his left hand and gently scratched Kyuubi behind the ear, ending with a small pat to the top of her head. He hoped it conveyed what he felt, without the need for more seemingly useless words.

To his surprise or maybe relief, she only just licked his finger, and seemed to focus outwards once again.

Up ahead of them, Kakashi put his hand up in the signal to stop. All parties did, foxes included. That was only really because Naruto had stopped, though, rather than them following the Jounin's orders.

Following Kakashi's lead, the Nin's congregated in the middle of the small copse of trees they had stopped in. Kakashi looked even harder than before, if that was possible. His eyes had become daggers.

Looking over his assembled troops, Kakashi began. "This will be simple, hopefully. I don't want any banter, or posturing or anything like that. I want clean, fast kills, and I want your individual missions to be top priority. This isn't some honorable ninja fight or some such crap…this is a rescue mission. We get in, we get our teammates back, and we get out. Clean, simple, efficient. Understood?"

All parties present nodded, even the foxes and the two missing-Nin. Each person's face was set in their own version of a schooled and serious appearance. It wasn't the time for banter, or second guessing, or even talk. They had teammates to rescue.

Kakashi turned around and looked at the clearing that was visible from where they were. It was easy to see that they had already fortified. They had already castled themselves, as if expecting them.

He withheld the urge to grimace. Trap or not, this was something they needed to do. He stood.

The foxes tensed. Kurenai drew a Kunai, an action that Iruka mirrored. Sasuke attached his knucklers firmly onto his hands. Kakashi drew a small scroll out of his pouch, and unsealed a ninja-to from it, which looked to be standard ANBU issue. Naruto drew his sword and began collecting chakra for the flow. Kyuubi felt her chakra reserves skyrocket, and she jumped off of Naruto's neck, becoming a fox five times her previous size.

Subconsciously, Naruto began drawing on the Kyuubi's chakra, his narcotic. Behind his mask, his smile widened manically, showing off his gleaming and enlarged canines protruding over his lower lip. His pupils narrowed and his iris's burned with a blood red color, almost literally glowing with intensity. His whisker marks, already dark and menacing, began to grow larger; more wicked, more feral, seeming to take up all the space on both his cheeks. A low, rumbling growl emanated from the deepest reaches of his being.

Images of everything they'd done up to this point, up to this critical moment bombarded his psyche…images of the women they had rescued, images of the villagers in their misery, rage from having Hinata and Sakura taken from them, injuries on Kurenai and her team…

_Rage. Anger. Hatred. Malice. Bloodlust. Pain…pleasure…desire…_

Unseen and unknown to all present, Naruto's seventh gate flickered with chakra.

Kakashi brought up his arm, and then brought it down in a swift, chopping motion.

"Go."

It was time to unleash hell.

--------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Another cliffy. God I'm mean. After all this time, you'd think I'd leave you on something better than a cliffy. My apologies.

Seventh gate, eh? Interesting, eh? Bwehehehehehehehe.

Right, a few things.

First, I'll try to make the next chapter better than this one, and faster. Notice the operative word, _**try**_. I can't guarantee anything. Life is life.

Second…anyone else notice that I have over 200,000 words, and I haven't even finished the wave arc yet? Good Jesus. I feel like I'm being mean.

Third…and probably most important…sigh…

I've been getting…pressure…from certain places and people, to add Sakura to the harem. More than any other woman, er, girl. Now, I'm not really averse to this. I actually kinda like the girl, and the direction I'm taking with her. BUT, I had said, chapters ago, that the harem was finalized. The only way I'm breaking my word on that one is if there's enough real desire to see Sakura as part of the harem.

Now, I don't want reviews-as-votes. That's a cheap way to increase reviews. If you have an opinion on it, please, PM me about it. Or, if in the course of a regular review, you wish to express your desire over whether or not to add her, that's fine too. I just don't want reviews for the sake of voting. Too many fictions use that to get cheap reviews and I don't want to be one of them.

If you want her as part of the harem, let me know. If you don't, let me know. I _**do**_ have an opinion on the subject, but it wouldn't be fair to you guys if I just added her, after I said I wouldn't.

( Islagatt, shouting from the background again: Sakura's a slut and shouldn't be in the harem! Trust your awesome author Thundereaper, all falls into his plan. Let him work, or suffer the divine wrath of Haruhi! )

Ahem…pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. If you want her in the harem, just let me know! puts Islagatt back into his cage

Anyway.

I think that's about all I have to say. I'm sorry this chapter didn't have the action or the climax…but hopefully you'll all forgive me for some character and plot development.

Read and review. As always, my life is naught without the ministrations of my fans. Or haters. Whichever.

Until next time.


	13. Two Paths Diverged

Been a while. Not proof'd, not beta'd, and I personally think it sucks.

But, it's the next one. Enjoy.

----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Not even waiting for Kakashi to take the lead, Naruto _exploded_ out of the tree he had been standing on. Kakashi shouted out his name, ostensibly to have him slow down, or hold formation, or _something_…

He didn't care. He saw the enemy. The sword weighed heavy…_comfortably_ in his hands. The _power_…the absolute rush, the _exultation_ he felt…

Hinata…Sakura…

A tight blue sheen enveloped him, even as red chakra boiled out of his midsection. Using the flow, he accelerated himself to speeds he had never before attained. His vision was blurred, and he could barely make out where the enemy was…

He didn't care.

He reached the first of the earthen ramparts long before his comrades had even made it one third of the way along the clearing. All he could make out were colors…browns, blacks…the colors of the Stone Nin's vests.

Jumping into the air, he let forth a ferocious, primal, chakra enhanced _roar_ from the depths of his being. More quickly than anyone could see, Naruto reached into his backpack and withdrew a grenade, giving the fuse more chakra than it needed to activate.

It shortened the timer.

Letting it fall ahead of him, and using the flow to slow himself down, he watched the dark green device fall in slow motion. The stone Nin below him looked up with both confusion and fear as the small orb descended.

Naruto's grin widened maliciously.

_Boom_.

The grenade detonated in a flash of red and orange, blowing the earthen rampart to smithereens. The few Nin were caught in the blast…even their families…if they had them… wouldn't be able to recognize the remains. They hadn't even had time to scream. They were mangled beyond any and all recognition, some reduced to nothing more than gelatinous masses of flesh and bone, others ripped to shreds and chunks. Some of their comrades behind them and beside them…the ones lucky enough not to be caught in the blast…emptied the contents of their stomachs.

Naruto's grin widened _further_.

Wasting no time, he identified the weakened Nin who were still staring in shock at the mangled remains of their comrades. He picked one at random.

_Die_.

In a flash, he was upon his unnamed, almost faceless foe, ducking, weaving, twirling and slashing. The Nin was good enough to block most of his sword movements from hitting anything, even in his shocked and stunned state.

Until Naruto cut cleanly through the man's Kunai.

Seeing that his foe's stance was horribly broken, he kicked the man hard in the chin with his upturned boot. The Nin flew upwards for just a moment, before Naruto brought his sword into a reversed-blade grip. With a clean, strong upwards slash, the Nin was bisected vertically from his groin to the top of his skull. The blood splattered all over Naruto's hair and clothing and armor, coating him with a sheen of red that began to boil off as the Kyuubi's chakra encountered it.

A drop or two reached his elongated fangs. He probed them with his tongue. The taste was coppery…bitter…_enthralling_…

_More_…

He twirled again, in time to block a Kunai thrust from two Nin who had come up behind him. Extending his arm, he blocked two shuriken that would have caught him clean in the shoulder, if not for his braced wrist. Instead, they ricocheted away harmlessly.

He brought his sword across himself horizontally, scraping against the first two Kunai he had blocked. The momentum of his enemy's actions carried them forward slightly as the resistance of his sword vanished. Reversing his grip once more, he put as much force behind his blow as he could. His diagonal strike bisected the man from his left hip to his right shoulder, causing his torso to slide off of his abdomen. Twirling once more, he surprised the other Nin by taking his wrist in his hand and breaking it, before pulling the Nin towards him. He shoved his katana straight through the man's intestinal tract, and through his back, severing his spinal cord. Naruto then put his boot on the man's chest, and summarily shoved his moribund enemy off his sword, watching the corpse flop onto the ground.

Through his peripheral vision, he saw a mound of earth heading straight for him. Behind the mound, he could make out a Nin holding his hands in a hebi seal; undoubtedly, he was the source of the Jutsu.

Instead of dodging, as the Nin thought he probably would, he stood his ground, planting his feet firmly and freeing his right hand from the hilt of his sword, bringing it upwards, and collecting Kyuubi's chakra into it. Just as the Doryuu Dango would have hit him, he expelled the chakra from his fist and punched forward, shattering the ball of earth and causing it to split across him. He wasn't moved more than a centimeter backwards.

Narrowing his eyes, he decided that the Nin who had used the Jutsu on him was next to die.

Before he even had a chance to accelerate himself towards the Nin, however…a large black ball of fur almost literally _appeared_ behind his prospective foe. With one quick, clean swipe of a massive claw, the Nin was torn to ribbons. His fleshy bits impacted upon Naruto's armor with little force, splattering blood and flesh and _ooze_ across his visage. He simply kept grinning.

The stone Nin, seeing the massive four tailed fox, hesitated for only a second, before retreating, some screaming, towards their secondary rampart.

Naruto turned towards his most powerful summon, his eyes glowing red through his blood spattered mask. His voice sounded almost petulant…though it was deeper, gravelly almost. It held a somewhat amused quality. "Are we having fun?"

The massive black summon bared his fangs and roared throatily, the sound reverberating across the clearing and almost cracking the earth underneath him. All around him, two tailed and three tailed foxes began to appear as they finally caught up. The black fox looked at him afterwards, licking his claw for just a moment.

"Most certainly, Taishou. I have not had a chance to truly enjoy the kill in so long…this will be most…"

Naruto's grin increased. He finished his summon's sentence for him. "…enthralling?"

The black fox chuckled in a series of barks and yips. "…yes, _enthralling_. We think alike, Taishou."

The Jinchuuriki chuckled…before breaking out into a maniacal laugh. He felt so free…so unencumbered. It was like he could _breathe_ again…this feeling of…_freedom_…to kill, to destroy, to utterly _annihilate_…

Some part of his brain recognized that he had something else to do…that he was letting himself go too far…but he ignored it. He _embraced_ this…incredibly _liberating_ feeling of bloodlust that consumed him.

With that, Naruto gripped his sword tightly and turned towards the thoroughly intimidated Iwa Nin in front of him. Unsnapping his mask and clipping it to his belt, he gave his enemies a good look at his face. To a man, they _flinched_. To see such a face on a _child_…this couldn't possibly be _that_ child. This was too much. Blood lust boiled off the boy in waves.

The moment before he made to take off on another chakra-enhanced bender of killing, a hand caught his shoulder in a tight grip. Whipping his head around in anger, he saw the stern, cold, _terrifying_ visage of his sensei staring back at him, Sharingan twirling. His voice came out cold, commanding, and unwavering.

"You have an objective, Naruto. Have you forgotten about Hinata and Sakura?"

It was ice cold water on a fevered face. His face went from angry to shocked to subdued in seconds. The red chakra stopped boiling out of him, and his blue glow faded. His whisker marks shortened once more, and his eyes became his usual hue of black.

He felt ashamed. He had almost forgotten about Hinata and Sakura in the bloodlust he had lost himself to. The very reason he was here…the very reason he was angry in the first place.

He schooled himself into an impassive, if intense façade. He clenched and unclenched his hands a few times, before he was fully calmed down and centered.

It was hard to resist the urge to look ashamed, however.

Snapping his mask back on his face, he just nodded to his Sensei and speedily made his way over to Iruka and Kurenai, who were both looking at him in a mix of fear, disgust, and almost awe…was that respect? Pakkun, still on Iruka's head, leaped off and began running towards the building, unminding of the almost-insane Genin. His little black doggie nose seemed to be following a trail on the ground.

"I found Hinata's scent trail. It leads…away from the compound. Follow me!"

The three Nin nodded and started following the small pug. Naruto motioned for Kyuubi, who had just caught up, to follow him. She complied without hesitation.

He threw a look at the black fox, which was interpreted correctly. _Kill them all_.

The black fox smiled cruelly and viciously, turning back to the utterly scared shitless stone Nin in front of them.

He _roared_.

Behind him, Kakashi and Sasuke broke into the building, easily breaking the chained door open. Zabuza and Haku showed up next to the black fox, the older of the two with Kubikiri Houchou unsheathed and in front of him. Haku had three senbon in her hands, and a determined look on her face, beyond her mask.

Zabuza began laughing, turning a challenging glare onto the fox beside him. "Oi…black fox…I bet I can kill more than you."

The black fox looked back at him and snarled, though there was a hint of malicious amusement hiding within his eyes. "Hardly, _human_. A massive _sword_ cannot compare to one's own fangs and claws."

The missing-mist-Nin gave him a look. The fox recognized it as a morbid, almost chaotic sense of anticipation. "We'll see, won't we?"

The fox grinned toothily. Zabuza did the same behind his bandage-mask.

Moments later, they both charged with wild abandon.

--------------------------------------------------------

It was a situation he had faced more than once in ANBU.

Outnumbered greatly. The enemy has numbers, but not skill. Close quarters, very little room to maneuver, and you were with a comrade that was of a lesser skill level than yourself.

He had never once lost _anyone_ on a mission with those parameters. He was the only one, aside from Uchiha Itachi himself to hold that distinction.

Hatake Kakashi was not about to break that trend.

Inside the door, there had been a relatively small contingent of katana-wielding mercenaries. Kakashi had cut through them like a hot knife through butter. He had forgotten, for a while anyway, what it was like to hold a blade in your hand, other than a Kunai. His ninja-to felt…_right_ in his hands. He was a tad rusty, yes…but for him, it had been akin to riding a sleigh pulled by a pack of hounds…something he had done often as a child…or whatever he had gone through that _passed_ as a childhood. After the first few mercenaries that he had cut into pieces, it had all come back to him.

Sasuke, for his part, was doing rather well. Kakashi intentionally left his back open at some points, wanting to see how Sasuke reacted. Thus far, he had performed superbly…any mercenary that had as much as gotten _close_ to his back had met a grisly end from Sasuke's _evil_ looking knucklers.

He made a note to both ask Sasuke when and where he got them, and if he could get a pair.

Really, they were a Nin's wet dream.

He was broken from his reverie on Ninja's and their various weapon fetishes when his finely tuned danger sense, honed from years in the ANBU, started _screaming_ at him.

He quickly uncovered his Sharingan and started scanning the area. They had made it a fair distance down the halls thus far…he could tell that they were getting close, judging by his nose. Sakura's scent was getting stronger and stronger the more they made their way down the hall. Though, it was hard to distinguish from the massive amounts of blood that had been spilt.

Just in time, seemingly, he looked up at the ceiling.

He had just enough warning time to literally shove Sasuke backwards so that the fuuma shuriken that destroyed the ceiling it came through didn't cleave him in twain.

In a moderate burst of debris, the massive shuriken embedded itself in the floor, throwing up shards of concrete that obscured his vision. His Sharingan, however, managed to see a chakra-shadow come through the hole the shuriken had created. Acting purely on instinct, he stabbed his Ninja-to into the area that his Sharingan said the Nin would be occupying in just a second or so.

His Sharingan was right.

Unfortunately, the Nin was more than fast enough, or cognizant enough to block his strike. With a Kunai, no less.

His eyes narrowed. On the other side of the Nin, he saw Sasuke take up a defensive stance and activate his own Sharingan.

The figure from within the slowly dissipating shroud of debris giggled in a decidedly feminine way…though, his voice was a deeper baritone, denoting a male. "I see your instincts haven't dulled since your time in ANBU, Hatake-kun."

Withdrawing his Ninja-to, he quickly performed a Shunshin, appearing on other side of the Nin by Sasuke...he didn't trust the narrow hallways to allow him enough room to maneuver. He needed to be able to protect Sasuke if necessary…and this particular enemy didn't seem to be a chump.

He closed his good eye. If the Nin was fast enough to react to a Sharingan-predicted strike, then his real eye would do him no good.

The debris finally began to settle. "Nothing to say, Copy-Nin? No smart quip or intimidating threat even? I expected more wit from someone like you. A shame, really."

Kakashi's Sharingan-eye narrowed. "What place does talking have in battle?" He moved slightly to his left to cover more of Sasuke.

The debris finally settled down completely. "Bloodshed and killing get so mundane. You fight, you kill, you move on…bah. Where's the fun in that? Especially when you _know_ your opponent can't beat you. Talking…threats, quips…they liven things up a bit, don't you think?"

Now that Kakashi could get a good look at the Nin, he internally tensed…the man radiated power, even if he seemed…almost _delicate_. He had a tall, lithe frame, but with well defined muscles. He had black hair with striking green eyes, along with an angular face and high cheekbones. Currently, a condescending smirk adorned what looked to be glossed-over lips.

The Nin wore what looked to be a standard battle kimono…standard for a _Kunoichi_ at least. It was brown with red flower patterns adorning it from his neck line to his ankles. A black obi was tied in a bow behind him, going around his waist and tying the Kimono together. He wore wooden sandals and his black hair was done up in a rather complicated manner. The stone Nin even went so far as to apply eye-liner and white face powder. A Kunai was held in his left hand with a limp wrist. All in all, the Nin looked bored, and decidedly…_off_.

He'd look like a geisha if not for his neck protrusion and a decided lack of anything in the chest area. His loose kimono 'showed off' his very flat chest.

Refocusing on the fight, he decided that he needed to get rid of this distraction, and quickly. Sakura's scent was already fading. Instead of responding to the Nin's last comment, he took the offensive. But not before warning his pupil.

He stole a glance behind him. "Sasuke…I'll take him. Watch my back."

Sasuke, though scowling slightly, nodded. He hated not being able to fight…but then again…

His eyes widened.

For a moment…when he had turned his head towards him…

Was that…the _Sharingan_?

…_How_?

His thoughts were interrupted as Kakashi turned back towards his opponent and charged quickly with his ninja-to. The Nin's smirk seemed to grow even wider as his lithe body was able to dodge cleanly to the side in the narrow hallways. Not wasting a movement, Kakashi turned his thrust into a sideways slash, putting as much power behind it as he could.

The Nin's smirk grew wider.

Kakashi's ninja-to halted mere inches away from his foe's chest. From behind him, Sasuke could easily see his sensei's muscles bulging, trying to move against some unknown force.

It was then that both Konoha Nin saw what would have been invisible without their Sharingan…or at least, invisible to most people without finely tuned chakra-sense.

Chakra-strings. Wrapped around the sword, and coming from the stone Nin's fingertips. It was strong enough to be almost _solid_.

The Iwa Nin chuckled, putting his hand up to his mouth like a geisha or a very _feminine_ female would. "Sword-play, Hatake? My, you do like it _rough_ don't you. Don't worry…we'll have lots of _fun_ together."

With a finger movement, the sword was torn from Kakashi's hands and flung down the hallway. Kakashi immediately backpedaled to his previous position, watching the stone Nin return to his prior position as well, hands now fully at the ready, and chakra strings whipping through the air.

The effeminate Iwa Shinobi's smirk grew into a malicious grin, and his eyes gained an insane quality. "Hatake-san…you can call me Suzumaru. It'll be a _pleasure_ to…_work_ with you."

With a high-pitched moan-yell, Suzumaru charged.

------------------------------------------------------------------

From his position within his subordinate's minds, he watched.

Suzumaru was already engaged. His normal mode of fighting…with chakra strings and thinly veiled homosexual innuendo…seemed to be working at least somewhat on the copy Nin.

Then again, Kakashi hadn't even had to resort to his Raikiri or any of his more destructive Jutsu…yet.

At least the cross-dressing, gender confused Nin would weaken him. That's what was necessary…that's what the Nin's use was _for_. When the time came, he would finish the cyclopean Konoha Jounin off himself. The Stone's grudge against the copy Nin…nay, the entire Hatake line was almost as palpable as their grudge for the yellow flash.

Almost.

Switching his focus, Rouhi's mind drifted to another one of his subordinates who was hiding _beneath_ the earth at the main site of battle. From what he saw, his forces were losing…badly. Even one hundred low-Chuunin level Iwa Nin didn't hold a candle to fox summons and someone as bloodthirsty as Zabuza.

He scowled. The fox summons had been a..._surprise_. He reasoned that it was probably his own fault for not allowing his subordinate to finish before he decapitated him, but he really paid it no mind. What's done was done.

Besides, it's not like the brat was the only one with summons.

Mentally turning off his link, he gave his captive a glance, noting that she was still thoroughly unconscious. Nodding to himself, he made his way to the door of the labyrinthine underground basement and stepped out the door, quickly making his way to the surface through secret passages and ladders and whatnot. While he could have easily used a Shunshin to appear there…he just didn't want to expend the effort.

His low-level subordinates were as good as dead anyway. He just needed to make sure the foxes, Zabuza and his dog of an apprentice died as well. And for that, there was really no hurry.

They didn't stand a chance, anyway.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Boring.

Horribly, excruciatingly, excessively boring.

But it was her job. Take two beat-up brats and a bunch of mangy animals, and guard some drunken architect. Believe it or not, she'd had stranger missions.

Like that one with the fire-daimyo's wife. She'd needed an escort to some convention for fat bitches…or something. The entire time she was there, she had felt like someone was about to _eat_ her. And not in the good way. More in the whole, 'I have barbecue sauce, and you look really tasty' way.

She had a whole new respect for cows.

And speaking of cows, there had been that mission where she had escorted some prize bull and his handler from some random village to another village, just so that bull could have sex with a lot of she-cows. Unluckily for the bull, he'd either gotten performance anxiety, or he liked other bulls…either way, his quite massive crotch-soldier hadn't managed to stand at attention when in the presence of female cows.

She'd had to help the farmer dude literally…_extract_ the proper 'fluid' from the bull so they could do 'it' the not-so-old-fashioned way.

It had been the first, last, and only time she had ever agreed to put on an arm-condom and shove her hand so far into a heifer's nether regions that she could feel her intestines. She had only barely restrained the urge to cut off her arm afterwards.

Kill a man, and get splattered in blood, guts, gore and entrails? Rip off some enemy-Nin's balls because he was a pervert? Sure. Watch a heifer get her jollies off because you were shoulder-deep in her backside? Nuh-uh. Never again.

At least the bull had tasted damned good afterwards. Barbecue sauce and all.

Her thoughts on fat-women, barbecue sauce and gay cows were broken rather suddenly by Kiba coming up to her and yelling in her ear. Looking down in confusion as to why the Genin had suddenly _stopped_ yelling, she noticed that she had a Kunai placed rather precariously underneath the Genin's 'nether' regions. Force of habit.

Sighing and putting away her Kunai, she glared half-heartedly at her charge. "What is it?"

Kiba scowled, but wisely kept himself in check, lest he lose his rather precious bits between his legs. "I've been trying to get your attention for like, the last two minutes. Akamaru and I smell something on the other side of the bridge. Smells like mercs. It's getting closer, too."

Anko could almost _grin_. She certainly wouldn't be bored anymore. "Is that so? Well then, I think we should give them a good old fashioned Konoha welcome. You and your buggy friend up to it?"

Kiba _did_ grin, and behind him, Akamaru barked. Shino…nodded. Curtly. Showing as little emotion as possible. Anko sighed. She had almost forgotten how much an Aburame's _lack_ of emotion could irritate her.

Shoving herself off the railing of the bridge she had been leaning on, she ruffled the dog-boy's hair, earning her a petulant scowl. Paying it no mind, she walked up to Tazuna, who was busy directing a bunch of burly dudes to as to where to put a girder.

"You blasted idiots! Turn clockwise ninety degrees! Your _other_ clockwise! Good! Now, lower it…lower it…"

Anko watched as the rather dim looking men lowered the girder onto what looked to be a bridge-support. Just before they got it on, however, the burly guy in the back dropped it, making all the other guys drop it. Unfortunately, their toes were still in the way. The crunch and subsequent girly scream was heard for miles, she was sure.

Tazuna took a swig of sake and rubbed the bridge of his nose, mumbling expletives. Anko just grinned and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and glared at her.

"What?!"

He paled when he saw who he had just shouted at in his drunken, frustrated rage.

Luckily for him, Anko had other fish to fry. Her gaze wasn't even on the bridge builder; so much as it was focused on the mist that was obscuring her prospective prey.

Tazuna…as well as anyone else in the region that weren't used to her…were _frightened_ by the grin on the insane Kunoichi's face.

She grabbed the bottle of Sake out of Tazuna's hand and took a few swigs. "There's mercs on the way. You might wanna evacuate your workers or something. By the way," she took another gulp of sake, emptying the bottle and throwing it over the edge of the bridge. "…does this bridge have gutters for rainwater?"

The bridge-builder raised an eyebrow, while mentally figuring out the best way to evacuate his workers. He had seen the way the ninjas could take care of mercenaries, so he really wasn't worried. Though those bums who dropped a metal girder on their toes would be troublesome…

He sighed and answered her question. "Of course…they're standard for bridges of this size. Why?"

Anko's grin widened. She was like a purple-eyed crazy Cheshire cat. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if I could go all out or not without having to worry about flooding this bridge with blood."

All non-ninja in the vicinity paled. A few, understanding _instinctually_ the woman standing before them, covered their nether regions with their hands. Not that it would do them much good if Anko actually decided to just start cutting off balls at random.

Most men, at Tazuna's insistence, began moving off the bridge. The men with the crushed toes had to be almost carried. Anko watched them go with indifference.

Walking towards her Genin and the foxes…and two dogs…that were readying themselves for combat, she started sashaying her hips and twirling her kunai. "Oi! Time to rock out with your cocks out! We'll tear into these fuckers like a tsunami! You wimps ready?"

Kiba bristled. "We aren't wimps, Anko-_chan_! We'll kick their asses!"

Anko's grin stayed in place, but her left eyebrow twitched. "…Anko..._chan_…? Oh, that's it. I'm so totally neutering you and your dog."

Akamaru wisely began backing away from his master. He hadn't been stupid enough to insult the purple-haired psychopath…his master was on his _own_.

Luckily for Kiba and his future progeny, all heads turned as they heard a high pitched, nasally laugh come from within the mist. Seconds later, a short, stout man in a black pinstripe suit came into view. His hair seemed to be a bit…_frizzy_ because of the humidity. Not that it was really much different from normal.

He was flanked by probably close to a hundred mercenaries, each more menacing looking than the last.

But none of them were Ninja. Anko almost couldn't believe the short-fat man's audacity.

Said short-fat man looked around the bridge from behind his sunglasses, before locking onto the small group of Nin who were now taking defensive stances. Or rather, the Genin and the animals were. Anko was just standing there, licking her Kunai.

He sneered and spoke loudly from his position. His posture was confident, if cocky…_arrogant_ really…and the mercenaries behind him had mimicked that same arrogance. "Oh, so they left behind a bitch and her brood, eh? Trying to protect the precious bridge and its builder." He smiled saccharinely. "…how _sweet_."

If possible, Anko's eyes gained an even more insane gleam. She looked out at the band of mercs and one businessman with incredulity. "You…you didn't bring _any_ Shinobi with you, did you? You don't even have one damned ninja behind you…un-fucking-believable."

Gato's sneer turned into a full blown malicious smirk. "What's your point, _whore_?" He gestured outwards with his hands. "These are _the_ one hundred _finest_ Ronin Samurai in the elemental countries…my _personal_ guard." He chuckled. "The ones you so easily tore through before were chumps that you saved me the trouble of having to pay. These guys are battle hardened _bad asses_, lady. They'll be more than a match for you and your little chibi-Shinobi."

Anko's grin faded, only slightly. Mercenaries were one thing. Mercenaries were simply jackasses with swords who could swing them around haphazardly. They had no real training, no real talent.

Samurai on the other hand…

Samurai were not the _equivalent_ of Shinobi…not by _any_ means…but they were harder than mercs by a fair margin. They had _good_ swords and they knew how to use them effectively. More than that, some were trained in basic chakra abilities, such as channeling chakra to your extremities to strengthen them or make yourself faster. Some were even dropout Genin.

She knew that she could take them…easily. She wouldn't come out unscathed, of course…but by the end, they'd be dead. The problem was the shrimps behind her. Genin against fully trained Samurai…not exactly a good match up. The foxes could probably hold their own…and since they were summons, they really didn't have any true fear of death, at least not from purely physical wounds such as the ones Samurai could inflict. Same with the hound.

Anko brought up her kunai. "Kiba, Shino…support me from range. Don't let any of them get past you. I'll take them head on with the mutts. This many samurai are out of your league."

Surprisingly, it was Shino, not Kiba that spoke up. "Anko-san…please do not underestimate us. We are Shinobi, after all. Allow us to do our jobs, just as you do yours."

Quirking an eyebrow, Anko decided to humor the brat, though she had no intentions of backing down. "I can't watch over both of you if you get in over your head. I'll have my own nuisances to deal with. You're both injured, and these are fully-trained Samurai we're dealing with." She glanced back at the sunglasses-wearing Nin. "Do you really think you can take them head on? Use your head, Aburame."

Shino, again, beat his friend to punch. "As much as they are fully trained Samurai, we are fully trained Ninja." He pushed up his glasses. "Above that…logically…we will have the support of Naruto's foxes along the way, as well as Hatake-sensei's dog. Undoubtedly, you are the one best suited in battle here; however, do _you_ believe that _you_ can take them head on without sufficient backup?"

This time, she scowled, wiping the insane smirk off her face. Sometimes, she hated Aburame logic. "Listen, I ain't gonna tolerate insubordination. You follow my orders. Stay back, and any that get past me are all yours. I'm not going to have a few dead Genin on my conscience. You got that, Aburame-_kun_?"

Kiba finally found his voice. "You aren't going to have _any_ dead Genin on your conscience either way, Anko-_sensei_. You can order us to stay back all you want. We're Genin, we're Shinobi. We fight for our village, and we complete our missions. This isn't insubordination, lady. This is just Shinobi doing their job."

Before Anko could speak back up to tell them that in no uncertain terms were they to fight head on, Gato's voice echoed off of the concrete. "Enough of your talking over there. None of it will make a difference in the end." He raised his hand and head. "Men! Kill the mutts and the kids, but a bonus to whoever captures me that hot piece of ass!" He brought his hand down. "Attack!"

Attack they did. With a battle-cry, the Ronin Samurai attacked in a reckless charge. Forgetting all about the issue with her Genin, Anko's insane grin returned full force. Going into a series of hand seals, she planted her feet and shouted, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. The samurai kept charging headlong, and Anko didn't so much as move.

At least, until a massive dragon made of water came up from the side of the bridge.

The mouth of the dragon plowed into the samurai with the force of a dam breaking its moors. Several samurai were literally ripped in half by the raw _force_ of the water, while others were simply crushed or had limbs torn off. Unfortunately, most had the good sense to either stop charging or jump away, avoiding the torrent of death.

Like a blur, Anko was off. The confusion created by the Jutsu and the loss of momentum they had suffered just _screamed_ to be capitalized on. Speeding up to one hapless Ronin, she quickly brought her kunai up and slashed him across the throat. Blood sprayed freely from the open and gaping wound, layering Anko's trench coat with the life-liquid. Before he had even hit the ground, she found another victim, clashing her Kunai against his sword and 'playing' with him for a while before finally breaking his guard and spilling his intestines on the matte grey concrete.

Behind her, Shino had let his swarm of kikachu flow freely from his wide coat sleeves. Many had attached themselves to various Ronin and were currently draining their chakra, while others had concentrated themselves on various parts of random anatomy, eating through the flesh and musculature below with ease.

Kiba, not to be outdone, had performed Shikakyu no Jutsu with Akamaru. They had taken up residence within Anko's wake, and any samurai that had been distracted by Anko was quickly pounced on by them. He let himself go wild with his punches, kicks and claw-swipes, nearly tearing out some poor bastard's eyeballs with his hands.

The foxes and solo hound had begun doing what animals usually do when they kill. Stalking, pouncing, ripping, tearing and clawing with nearly reckless abandon. Many samurai had managed to block their advances with swords, or maneuver themselves out of the way of the feral onslaught, but an unlucky few were caught flat-footed, and were torn asunder quickly.

From behind his 'troops', Gato stood gape-mouthed and wide eyed, his previous demeanor all but destroyed.

His samurai were good. Very good. He had, on more than one occasion, seen them defeat ninja with their combined attacks, and he had believed that one whore, two kids and a bunch of mutts stood no real chance against them.

As he saw his samurai methodically cut through like _meat_, he began reevaluating his opinion on Konoha ninja. He had never before actually gone up against Konoha Shinobi in a true battle…the land of waves had been far enough away from that particular village that he had never had any real confrontations with them. He had of course, however, heard the rumors and 'legends' that Konoha ninja were the strongest of the elemental countries. Konoha was really the only village that truly trained their Shinobi to be the best they could possibly be, believing in quality over quantity, something that most ninja villages discarded as a foolish notion.

A 'foolish notion' that was currently being validated, again and again, as his Samurai failed to withstand the onslaught of true, _trained_ Shinobi.

Unconsciously, he began taking steps backwards. As he saw his samurai mutilated, cut, chewed, beheaded, exsanguinated and viciously _ripped_ through with ferocity heretofore unseen to his eyes, he began to realize one thing that he _should_ have seen when the majority of his mercenary forces were killed like _nothing_.

This was a battle he couldn't win. He had made enemies with the wrong people. Konoha ninja were in a class all their own. One couldn't compare them to Iwa Shinobi, or Kiri Shinobi, or even Kumo or Suna Shinobi. Those Shinobi were bought and sold like a commodity, their skills lying in numbers and treachery, not strength and training. Konoha Jounin truly were _Jounin_. They weren't meat-shields or kunai fodder, or simple soldiers, available to the highest bidder. They were _ninja_ in the truest sense of the word.

Breaking himself from his epiphany, he saw what now lay in front of him. At least three fourths of his samurai lay dead or dying. The last fourth were on the verge of routing. The whore was injured, but looked no worse for wear from them, seeming to feed off of the pain that had been inflicted on her. The Genin were mostly unharmed, and the mutts, while undoubtedly injured, looked to be fully ready for battle.

He had lost. In the space of less than fifteen minutes, he had lost. He had come with the intention of laying siege to a mostly defenseless town. He had come to fully subjugate the people of this 'worthless' country. He had been thwarted by a woman, two pre-pubescent ninja, and a few animals.

If he wasn't so absolutely _terrified_, he would have laughed at the incredulity of the situation.

He only had one card to play now. His contingency plan relied on his two most trusted samurai to bring that hostage to him, just in case something like _this_ happened. He had barely even entertained the notion at the time…but now…unless they showed up soon…he was _dead_.

He kept backing up, the Samurai in front of him holding their swords at the ready, but with fear on their faces. They could be killed at any time. They offered little to no real protection at this point.

Like a snake, Anko pounced. The advantage was theirs. The Ronin samurai hadn't been nearly the opposition she thought they would be. Hell, they had given Samurai a bad name. They were better than mercenaries for sure…but not by much. They had barely even injured her. She had a few cuts on her, of course, but nothing that was life threatening or debilitating. Though, they had ruined her favorite brown coat.

She scowled. Bastards.

With a primal _hiss_, she descended upon the few hapless Samurai that were left standing, both hands with Kunai in them.

Within a minute, it was all over. The gutters were filled with blood, the concrete stained, possibly permanently. The groans and moans of the dying were a symphony to her ears.

Gato lay bare. Nothing stood between him and death.

The insane grin and malicious glint in Anko's eyes only increased as she began to walk slowly towards her true prey. "Gato…that wasn't really all that fun, you know? From your description, I expected a good fight." She almost pouted. "It's not nice to lie to women, hm?"

Gato shuddered and dropped to his knees from the killing intent _rolling_ off the woman in front of him. His cane dropped from his limp and shivering fingers. He lost control of his bladder. "I…I…I'll pay you! More than what you're getting from your village! All the money you want! Power, glory, prestige…" He brought his hands together as though he was praying. "I'll do anything! Don't kill me, please, don't kill me!"

Anko stopped and _shivered_. The sound of a desperate enemy begging _turned her on_ like nothing else. One of those few things she had learned from Orochimaru that she liked. It was a glorious sound to hear your enemy so desperate. "More…offer me more!"

Gato _squeaked_. His voice came out desperate, loud, gravelly. "I'll give you a country, make you a daimyo! Concubines! Drugs! _**ANYTHING**_! I'll give you _**anything you want**_! Just don't kill me! PLEASE!"

The purple headed snake Jounin _laughed_. Truly laughed. Her laugh echoed across the bridge, seeming to float into the mist. Even the Genin behind her shivered at the sound. Shino's bugs were deathly quiet…and Akamaru was hiding behind Kiba. The hound had laid its ears back, and the foxes looked, at the very least, _tense_.

The fat man was good at begging. Very good. It was almost euphoric to hear. Hell, she was _wet_. This was why she was in interrogation. She loved this kinda thing. She _got off_ on this shit.

Ah well. Time for business. He'd be begging for death soon enough anyway…that was even _better_.

She stopped laughing suddenly, her eyes turning cold and focused, the smile vanishing from her face. To Gato, it was like staring at death.

Her voice came out toneless, quiet…yet it carried to all ears in the vicinity. "You were dead the moment we stepped foot into this country, reprobate." She looked at him coldly. "We were given orders from the _Hokage _himself to terminate you. You made enemies with the _wrong people_. You hurt my friend, you kidnapped our Genin…and your mercenaries did some pretty _shitty_ things to the people of this country." The side of her mouth quirked up in a humorless smirk. "Do you really think you can bribe _me_ not to kill you? Ludicrous."

Gato started crying.

Anko's smile returned full force. Her voice stayed the same. "But don't worry. I won't be killing you right now." She knelt down in front of him and stared him in the eyes. "You have information, pig. Valuable, _tasty_ information…and I'm going to tear it out of you. Only _then_ will you be allowed to die." She licked her lips. "Believe me…you'll be begging for it by then."

She turned her head behind her, _glaring_ at the Genin. "Return to the village and guard it until I return. I have some things to do here before this is all over. That's an _order_, brats."

This time, faced with the killing intent Anko was radiating, Kiba, Shino and even the animals did naught but nod, hurriedly making their way across the bridge towards wave.

Once they were sufficiently out of earshot, Anko turned her grin…her utterly crazy, malevolent, _hungry_ grin onto the fat man in front of her. He was sobbing almost uncontrollably, his bowels and bladder having lost control of themselves long ago. Reaching into her shuriken pouch, she withdrew a few senbon, and a purple liquid inside a small vile.

Extracted snake venom…it induced pain, delirium and many other _delicious_ agonies upon the victim. Even just a small amount was enough…

She chuckled darkly, standing from her crouch. "Lets get started, eh?"

His screams could be heard for miles. His last thoughts before his world became pain were of the samurai who were supposed to have brought the hostages…the bridge builder's daughter and grandson…and where they were.

Anko was right, of course.

He _was_ begging for death by the end.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Close to Tazuna's house, a large brown and white python was coiled contentedly, basking in the sun. Two swords and various pieces of shredded clothing were littered around him, spatters of flesh and blood slowly cooling on their surfaces.

The Python burped.

Naruto wasn't the only person with a summoning contract.

------------------------------------------------------------------

_Sarutobi turned around to glare…but only thinly, at Danzo, who had entered his office only minutes before._

_He took a puff on his pipe. "To what do I owe the distinct _pleasure_ of your presence, Danzo-_kun_?"_

_Danzo, true to his nature, didn't take the bait. "It has come to my attention that you have sent a Genin team on an S-class mission. I was wondering, as commander of a special ANBU platoon, if you would want my assistance with sending backup for them?"_

_Sandaime didn't even hesitate. "ROOT was disbanded years ago, Danzo. Your ANBU platoon is only 'yours' due to their unerring loyalty to _you_. I have no use of Nin such as the ones you have created."_

_Danzo _smiled_…something that unnerved the Sandaime more than anything. "Ah, I see. Very well then."_

_He turned around to begin leaving the room, before he paused and began speaking, without turning back towards the Hokage. "…my intelligence is never wrong, Sarutobi. You know just as well as I do that there are stone Nin in that area. _Why_ they are there is beyond me, of course. With your Nin currently…_indisposed_…the only backup you possibly have to send is mine." He finally glanced back cursorily. " Should the Nin die on this mission, undoubtedly…the council will be most interested to hear of why you decided it was necessary not to use what resources you had available to stop such a thing."_

_Without missing a beat, Sarutobi responded. "I believe they would also be interested to hear that there was an infiltration team of unknown Ninja in the village not more than a few days ago, which resulted in me having to up security, and therefore make _sure_ that your Nin were the only ones available to go to backup our Shinobi in wave country." He leaned on his desk menacingly. "Perhaps they would also be interested to hear that the infiltration team just happened to bypass security at a gate directly under the supervision of ANBU linked to ROOT."_

_Danzo's small smile turned into a chagrined smirk. "Indeed, perhaps they _would_ be interested." He went back to staring forward, away from the Hokage. "Regardless, Sarutobi…unless you send my Nin on this mission, there is a high probability of their death. It will be on your head, not mine."_

_With that, Danzo began walking towards the door once more. But not before Sarutobi got in a Parthian shot. "Naruto and his team will prevail, you know. And then you will have nowhere to run when I finally get the proof I need. Your designs on Naruto-kun will fail, as will your collaborations with _others_." As only the Hokage could, he glared, lacing it with as much killing intent as he dared. "You cannot win."_

_Sarutobi heard something that was rare to anyone's ears. Danzo was _chuckling_. "I am counting on them to prevail, Sarutobi. From the moment you sent them on the mission, you lost. It is now my turn to capitalize on one of your rare errors, not the other way around."_

_The Sandaime scowled and his iron grip nearly broke his pipe in half. "We shall see. Just remember…the snake always eats the rat."_

_Danzo didn't reply as he walked through the door, allowing Asuma and Gai entrance._

At his desk, the Sandaime sighed out a plume of grey smoke.

The conversation with his former…_rival_…had left him jarred. It wasn't like him to be so effected by the man's words.

Then again, the man had never taken such a vested interest in someone so close to him before. Their spats had always involved none but each other, a battle of wits, more than a battle of control or commodities.

Danzo had escalated the conflict.

Standing up and rubbing his forehead, he almost groaned. The situation wasn't advantageous to anyone. Only hours earlier, Yamato had confirmed the presence of Iwa Nin in wave. Something he had already known, of course…but he had been hoping to stall for time, to give those few Nin in wave _more_ time in which to accomplish their objectives without backup.

The more Nin he sent, the more they risked open war.

He wasn't a fool. He knew that Iwa somehow knew of Naruto's lineage, and he also knew that Danzo had something to do with it…which meant that undoubtedly, the former ROOT commander somehow knew as well. He had taken precautions to guard against just such a thing…but then again…

With Naruto now knowing, he supposed it was only a matter of time before quite a few _more_ people knew. For some, it was easy to put the signs together and figure it out, while others might have access to files that Sarutobi himself might not have even had access to. Before Naruto's transformation, very few people paid him or the issue itself much attention…but after the news got out that Naruto had changed so incredibly…well…

Those same files had been opened, the dust scraped out, and they had simply _found_ it. He was sure of it.

Regardless, however, he couldn't risk war with Iwa. The lives of his Nin were, unfortunately, not as valuable as peace. If his Nin prevailed, then Iwa would undoubtedly back down. If his Nin didn't prevail, then Iwa would most likely still back down, but only because they had achieved victory.

But if he sent reinforcements, it could be construed as a silent declaration of their intentions.

He sighed, again. Hatake Kakashi was easily the strongest Jounin in the village…Anko was probably the strongest Kunoichi in the village…and Iruka…

He supposed, at least in this case, that he had something to thank Danzo for, even if it was bittersweet.

Some of his best ninja were currently on the mission of their lives. If anyone could come out on top, it was them. If anyone could beat back Iwa, and foil Danzo's plans, it was them.

He was betting his hand on a bluff, however, and he knew it. War may just erupt even without his interference.

With another sigh, he realized just how old he had become. Time had dulled his warrior-instincts. Were he younger, brasher, more determined…he would have sent backup, and damn the consequences. But now…

He was old, damn it. Too damned old.

Sarutobi took another puff on his pipe, watching the embers glow brightly and then fade. He exhaled the sweet aromatic smoke and let his eyes drift over his village. They were his to protect. War would kill many…disrupt families, kill civilians, and maim the economy…

He must avoid it. At all costs.

Even the worst of costs.

He was too damned old.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had never quite ascribed to the theory that men were innately better fighters than women.

Of course, that didn't mean she outright denied the notion. It _was_ a fact that the normal Kunoichi population of a hidden village was usually less than twenty percent of all standing forces, if that. Over and above that statistic, as the ranks increased, so did Kunoichi saturation _decrease_. At Genin, you could expect about a one in three ratio of Kunoichi to 'regular' Shinobi. At Chuunin, that ratio decreased to about one in five. At Jounin, the ratio decreased to almost one in ten, if that.

Tenten believed that it was more a fault of the system, rather than the fault of the Kunoichi.

Physical strength, chakra reserves and speed were all rewarded above almost all else within the Shinobi subculture. A Shinobi that only knew five Jutsu, but had strength, stamina and speed would almost undoubtedly make it to Chuunin…and if they increased on those three statistics, they would have a very good shot at Jounin, even if they never learned another Jutsu.

Mind you, it _helped_…quite a bit actually…to learn more Jutsu…but in the end, physical prowess determined the ninja, not knowledge.

Kunoichi could never hope to equal Shinobi in the physical aspect of their jobs. Even Tsunade, with her massively enhanced strength, still lacked speed, finesse, and chakra capacity…at least she had when she still occupied Konoha. That was the last time that anyone had gotten general data on the Sannin…it was really the only data that Kunoichi had to go on.

Mitarashi Anko, rumored to be the strongest Jounin Kunoichi in Konoha, was weaker by exponents than Hatake Kakashi, the strongest Jounin Shinobi. Even in ANBU, Kunoichi were usually relegated to support roles…though, data on ANBU was notoriously hard to find, and even then, it was vague at best.

But even with all of the evidence pointing towards what seemed to be a foregone conclusion, Tenten would still not believe it. Could Shinobi seduce a man and kill him when he was thinking with his 'wrong' head? Could a Shinobi wear skimpy clothes, and be assured that their enemy would be reduced in skill tenfold because of it?

Mind you, she would never stoop to such things…but the more…_unscrupulous_ Kunoichi more often than not, _did_. And they were damned successful at it.

Kunoichi had an almost monopoly on Genjutsu and high-level medical Jutsu. What they lacked in strength, they made up for in agility. What they lacked in speed, they made up for with finesse. To her, that's all there was to it.

As she laid on the grass on her team's training grounds, staring up at the clouds as they wafted lazily past her…she came to a conclusion.

Men _were_ better warriors. No Kunoichi that she could think of could wade into a cabal of warriors and slaughter them unmercifully like a Shinobi could. No Kunoichi could do what Gai-sensei or even Lee could…because men were just _built_ differently. More muscle mass, greater bone density, more aggressive instincts…testosterone.

Women, however, were better _ninja_. No man could sneak in the shadows like a woman could. No Shinobi could match the finesse that women naturally possessed in their kills. The best assassins were women. That much was an almost proven fact. There was also no man who could truly match a Kunoichi for chakra-control abilities, even though that was made up for by their larger capacities.

That was why she was feeling almost _good_ about the mission Naruto had gone on. She had been thinking all day, after being given the day off by her sensei, about the mission her friend was on. From what she could tell, the mission didn't involve finesse or lurking in the shadows. It was truly a job for a warrior. Not a ninja, per se.

From what little she knew of her friend…she had no doubts that he was a warrior, by trade, by heart and by breeding. That feral appearance of his, that devil-may-care attitude and the way he _projected_ confidence…the musculature of his chest, of his arms, those broad shoulders and the way his fangs gleamed when he smiled, that roguish, lady-killer smile of his, and those expressive, deep, _alluring_ eyes…

She cleared her throat and her mind. Testosterone indeed.

If anyone could come out of this, it was Naruto. If anyone could protect his friends, it was Naruto.

She smiled for the first time in a few hours. Naruto would pull through. His team would pull through. And when he came back to the village, she'd pound the ever loving shit out of him for making her worry. And then she'd treat him to ramen.

That's what she'd do. Because they were friends. Because he'd do the same for her…though, without the beating and the ramen. More like a massage and Dango. Mmmm, Dango.

As she stood up and made to pick up a few of her weapons that she had let lay while she thought, she noticed that her set of tonfa, given to her on her eighth birthday…made out of the strongest wood in Konoha and beyond…

Were _cracked_.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto sneezed.

Scowling, he rubbed his nose. He _never_ got sick. He had never once had a cold, or even the _sniffles_ before. That must mean that someone was either thinking about him, or talking about him or…_something_. He never quite got that particular superstition.

Regardless, he immediately was able to refocus himself. They had been on this trail for the better part of a half an hour now. From what Naruto's nose could tell, they were _close_. Hinata's scent was heavy in the air, and more than that, it _reeked_ of terror.

_Her_ terror. She was scared, alone, helpless, and desperate.

It was a testament to Naruto's stubborn nature that he hadn't allowed himself to fly into a berserker rage. The only reason he _hadn't_ thus far, is because he knew that at this point, it would do no good.

Maybe later though. Maybe when Hinata was secure, and the enemy lay bare before them, he could let go. He could rip them to shreds, scatter their entrails to the wind, and watch their expressions as they slowly, painfully, _desperately_ died. He would smile, he would laugh…

Scowling, again, he pushed those thoughts down. He could already feel his chakra responding, almost like it was an entity all its own. The red chakra was _dying_ to get out…and he was all too ready to let it, if not for the circumstances.

Ahead of him, the anthropomorphized pug tensed, and all those around him noticed it. "We're almost upon them. They seemed to have stopped…probably realized we were faster than they were. Get ready."

Naruto immediately put his hand on his sword hilt.

Within seconds, they were inside a clearing. All members of the rescue party stopped and took ready positions, anticipating an attack.

It didn't come. Mostly, because there were no Nin in the clearing. There was _nothing_ in the clearing, besides grass and the occasional squirrel.

Naruto was about to yell at the pug, before Kurenai snorted and brought her hands up into a ram seal.

"Kai!"

As the small wave of chakra washed over him, he was able to see, clearly, what he had not been able to before.

The Nin were in a box formation…four of them. Each had a kunai drawn. Two looked to be of a stocky build, while two others looked to be of an average build, with average looks. All together, they didn't look that formidable.

Inside of their box formation was a burlap sack. A moving burlap sack. A moving burlap sack that currently had muffled cries coming from it.

He couldn't stop it. Red chakra emblazoned his being almost instantly. His canines grew, his whisker marks lengthened…his transformation completed itself. A low, rumbling growl came from his throat.

Kurenai spared a glance behind her, but figured that Naruto had more than enough reason to lose it at this point. Hell, even she was on the verge of a slaughter. Instead, she turned towards the stone Nin and snarled.

"Did you really think a rudimentary Genjutsu would fool us?" She snorted. "You Iwa Nin are fools. Hand over the girl _now_, and we might be moved to spare your lives."

Naruto, at that moment, gained a newfound respect for Kurenai.

The stocky Nin on the left smirked, his own Kunai raised in a defensive position. "Iwa Nin? Don't compare us with those idiots." He chuckled. "We're _Kumo_ Jounin, not that nameless trash. You're on a different playing field now."

Collectively, the group of rescuers froze.

To Kurenai, it was a _very_ bad situation. They had thought their opponents to be Iwa Nin. Her plan had been to simply slaughter them, take back Hinata, and then continue with the rest of the mission. The Iwa Nin weren't worth anything…and there was little risk of any repercussions beyond those which occurred during the fight itself. Iwa wouldn't be stupid enough to go to war over something as 'trivial' as a few hundred Nin.

Kumo, on the other hand…was different. They had already almost gotten away with a Hyuuga kidnapping once, with the threat of war. She was under no assumptions that they weren't very much willing to do something like that again.

More than that, this meant that Iwa and Kumo were working together to a common goal of some sort. They had never really been enemies…but this cooperation was mostly unheard of between the two polar-opposite villages.

All of this meant…that if they attacked and killed these Nin…they risked _war_. Not just with Iwa, not just with Kumo…but with _both_.

Over a Genin. Over one person.

Strategically, statistically, logically, _rationally_…it should have been an 'acceptable' loss. One Genin over the fate of war for an entire village.

None of them, however, found that to be in any way _acceptable_, regardless of how _logical_ it might be.

Before Kurenai could speak again, Naruto, from behind her, interrupted.

His voice chilled her to the core.

It was cold…almost _dead_…but it echoed across the clearing, obviously being chakra-enhanced. It was like something from a horror movie, when the serial killer was stalking his hapless prey, ready to pounce and rip into them with reckless abandon.

Naruto's head bowed. He started shaking slightly. "Do you _really_ think it matters what village you're from?" He twitched. "You have a friend of mine in that sack of yours." His fist clenched into his palm, drawing blood. His voice sounded strained. "I don't care if you were _Konoha_ Nin at this point."

The ground beneath him cracked slightly. The Kumo Jounin looked slightly startled.

"I'm going to…" He suppressed another growl, holding his stomach. "…I will…KILL you. Do you _understand_ me? You four are_ DEAD_." His voice got louder. "No power in earth or heaven will save you. I...**will**…"

He doubled over and groaned. His fury was escalating. He could feel it. The power was there…begging for him to use it. He _wanted_ to kill these people. He would take _pleasure_ from it. Iruka's words meant nothing to him now, not with this overpowering, suffocating, utterly _intoxicating_ rage filling his being.

He only barely managed to stop himself from completely giving in. He could feel it, down there…_squirming_…

His breaths came raggedly shallow. His body heaved with pain unfelt, and a low growl started from his throat, shaking the earth beneath it.

His head came up.

To most in the clearing, it was the most frightening thing they had ever seen.

Lips curled, fangs bared, eyes red, whisker marks long and dark. It was…magnificently terrifying.

His voice was low…almost with a duality to it. "**I will…**_**destroy**_**…you. For harming my friend…**"

His growl increased. The earth shook and cracked with the force of his chakra, of his Ki, of his desire, _need_ to kill.

"…**for making her feel terror and desperation**_**…**_" He finally doubled over onto all fours. "**I will…utterly…**_**ERASE**_** your existence**."

Iruka and Kurenai both backed away from the Genin that no longer sounded or felt like Naruto. His voice was _changed_, his countenance transmogrified. He _radiated_ fear, loathing…utter _contempt_ for life. It was like being in the presence…the unholy _thrall_…

_Of a demon…_

More quickly than any one of them could follow, Naruto disappeared from view, only to reappear over the Kumo Nin. His eyes were a sickening red. His teeth gleamed with saliva, as if anticipating the kill. His whisker marks were black _voids_ on his face…and his hands had sprouted malicious looking claws. His sword was forgotten in its sheath. He wanted to _feel_ this. The familiar slick feel of blood on his hands. For Hinata, he wanted to _feel_ their deaths.

For their part, the Kumo Nin looked terrified. They had counted on a Jounin, and maybe some lower-skilled backup. Nothing that four fully trained Jounin couldn't handle. This boy…however…was like _nothing_ they had ever experienced. The raw killing intent alone was suffocating…_oppressive_. His face, his eyes, his body language all _screamed_ in a ravenous thirst for their blood.

But, regardless of the terror they faced…they were still Jounin.

All four Nin jumped out of the way simultaneously, one grabbing the burlap sack containing Hinata in the process. A mere second later, Naruto's claw impacted with the earth the Nin had just been standing on, throwing up debris and kicking up winds that scattered throughout the clearing. In the haze of the debris field, Kurenai began hand seals, as Iruka prepared to follow her lead. Naruto was creating a very opportune distraction, even if he was clearly out of hand.

From inside the haze, two of the Kumo Nin had also started hand seals. It was rather obvious that pure Taijutsu or even Genjutsu would be rather fruitless against a monster such as the one Naruto had become.

The leftmost of the bulky Nin shot forward with speed in spite of his size, hands held in the final seal of his Jutsu. His aim was simple…he merely had to _touch_ the Genin, and he'd be as good as dead. Combination attacks with his partner rarely failed. In the confusion that the Genin had created, he could easily make his way to the boy's position undetected.

Slowly, the haze began to clear as a small breeze wafted into the clearing, rustling the leaves. The crunch of the advancing Kumo Nin's footsteps was almost deafening in the silence created after Naruto's earthen demolition. Using what was left of the haze to his advantage, the portly Nin darted forward with chakra-enhanced speed, pulling apart his hands and putting them in front of him, palms forward.

Naruto, even with his senses, had either not detected, or not cared about the advance of the Jounin on his flank. Turning his head just in time to see the Kumo Nin above him, his hands dancing with lightning, he was able to hear the name of the Jutsu as it was cried out.

"Raiton: Zashou no Jutsu!"

Quickly, both of the Kumo Nin's hands touched Naruto's back, releasing their electrical payload. At the exact moment of contact, the Nin's eyes widened imperceptibly, and his body froze with his hands still in contact with the Genin's back.

From his position in the bushes, Naruto sneered…the expression looking malevolent on his still _changed_ face.

Just because he was enraged, didn't mean he had to fight stupidly.

His clone's mouth upturned into a sickeningly saccharine smile.

"Katsu."

In a blinding instant, the Kage Bunshin, infused with Kyuubi's chakra, as well as a healthy dose of Naruto's own, detonated. The explosion; loud, fiery and blisteringly hot, enveloped the entire clearing in a searing blast of heat and debris which once again obscured everyone's vision.

Kurenai took her chance.

One of the thinner, more nondescript looking Kumo Jounin stiffened for a moment, unseen to his comrades. Slowly, almost against their will, his arms began to raise perpendicular to his body, outstretched on either side. His head tilted backwards, and his legs seemed almost rigidly stiff.

To his eyes, he was bound inextricably to a tree. A tree that Kurenai seemed to melt out of, Kunai held in her one free hand. For whatever reason, his mouth wouldn't open…and he could barely even breathe. His friends, standing just ahead of him, seemed completely oblivious, seemingly entranced by the vicious explosion in front of them.

Kurenai spoke in a whispered hush. "Magen: Jubaku Satsu. With this, you die."

Before the Nin could bite down on his lip to end the Genjutsu, Kurenai stabbed her kunai violently into the man's neck, burying it hilt deep. Blood sprayed in a geyser from the deep wound, coating the Kumo Nin in front of him with copious amounts of the life-liquid.

It was finally enough to get their attention.

As they turned around, they saw their comrade simply falling to his knees, a Kunai protruding from his throat. There was no enemy around him to be seen, not even displaced leaves to indicate that anyone had been there.

The Nin finally gurgled something out, blood spilling freely from his mouth. A moment later, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell, face first, onto the ground. The two Nin could do naught but look on in horror.

It was then that the dust from the explosion cleared.

The scene was a gruesome one. The Nin, while not dead, was very close. His arms were both rendered mostly useless, thanks to the fact that they were mostly _not there_. He had gaping wounds in his torso, and seemed to be missing an eye, what with the piece of metal that was currently embedded into it. He had sunk to his knees with an almost blank look on his face, before he coughed, spraying blood on the ground. All in all, the man could be considered functionally _dead_ from all the wounds he currently possessed.

Landing close to the Nin, Iruka lazily sauntered up to him, Kunai firm in his grip. He had a pained grimace planted on his face. He had seen worse, to be sure…but this…

Well, he had never seen worse on the _living_ before.

The Nin looked at him, silently imploring him to help. His expression belied the underlying fear and pain he was in. It was the look of a man who knew he was only a step away from death's door, and desperately wished to live.

With an almost casual flick of his wrist, Iruka denied him that wish, severing approximately half of the man's neck in one felled swoop. The Nin only had time to blink and register a pained and panicked expression, before he slumped to his side, head lolling at an unnatural angle.

Iruka sighed.

Coming out from the brush he had been hiding in, the still feral looking Naruto gave his sensei a primal grin. "I was sure my Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu would have taken care of him. Guess he managed to put up a meager defense before he got shredded, eh?"

Iruka turned and _glared_ at this 'new' Naruto. This was not the Genin he knew…this was not the Naruto he had recently acknowledged to be an adult. This was…something else entirely. This Naruto took pleasure in the kill, took a sort of twisted satisfaction from seeing his enemies dead before him.

The demon's chakra couldn't have possibly changed him this much…could it?

Or…

Gathering his thoughts and schooling his expression, he merely turned his head back to the two remaining Nin. Kurenai landed at his side moments later, burlap bag slung over her shoulder. She set it down on the ground gently and began untying the top.

Naruto's reaction was immediate. His entire demeanor seemed to change in an instant, going from a monster in the thrall of a bloodlust, to what Naruto was more like…his eyes shown of concern, even in their red state, and his face was almost childishly hopeful. The feeling of _unease_ around him seemed to disappear.

Hinata, inside the bag, was crying in relief. With her Byakugan active, she could see Kurenai, Iruka-sensei, and even…

Naruto…with an expression on his face not unlike what she had seen before on her father's face, the very few times she had ever been truly in peril.

Genuine, heartfelt, familial concern. And more than just a little bit of relief.

And there was a lack of something there…something she had expected, but…it wasn't _there_.

_Pity_. There wasn't even a trace of pity, or even contempt or condescension. It was concern for her wellbeing, and relief at her being safe.

Naruto…had come for _her_. He hadn't abandoned her, as she thought he would. He didn't look like he was being forced to do something, and he looked downright _angry_ at the people who had captured her.

Kami above…she was an idiot.

She had observed Naruto for years. She knew his habits, his favorite places, his obsession with ramen, and his single-minded infatuation with becoming Hokage; and therefore being able to protect his precious people, whom he placed on a pedestal far above even his own life.

She should have known…that Naruto…didn't view _any_ of his friends with contempt. He didn't take people in because he felt sorry for them, he wasn't friends with people just because he was being _forced_ to be. When he made friends…they _became_ those people who were precious to him.

It didn't matter that she thought Naruto was still preoccupied by Sakura. It didn't matter that she thought she was a burden to him. Not even her depression over her assumption that he was only friends with her because of her father's intervention was of any real consequence.

Because they were friends. She was precious to him, and he was precious to her, because they were friends. To Naruto, friendship, relationships, were _everything_.

The burlap sack finally came undone as Kurenai stopped fiddling with the knot, instead just cutting the bag open with a Kunai. Even as she was laid mostly bare in front of her crush, her sensei, and her former sensei, she found that she didn't much care. Naruto was looking at her. He was _glad_ to see her, and he was _glad_ that she was ok. He had, to her anyway, the most beautiful smile on his face, directed at her. Even with his fangs, and his whisker marks, and his red eyes, he looked so _relieved_…so…_happy_. Because of her…_for_ her.

She…was an absolute and complete idiot. And she couldn't be happier for it.

She felt the ropes being cut that had secured her arms and legs. She felt the blindfold being ripped off, and the impromptu gag being dislodged. She could feel sensation returning to her 'asleep' appendages. The pins and needles that accompanied the return of her sensory input didn't matter to her…the relatively cold breeze against her already shivering body didn't matter, her state of undress, or even the fact that she hadn't bathed in days, didn't matter.

As she threw herself into Naruto's arms, and _wept_…_he_ was the only thing that mattered. Because he cared for her. Because she had been stupid enough to think that he wouldn't. Because he meant everything to her. Even if he never loved her the way she wanted him to, it would be alright…because he _cared_.

And that was why she loved him.

For Naruto, he could do nothing but wrap his arms around the sobbing girl, surprised at her actions. She was _cold_ to the touch, almost icily so…but this was quickly being taken care of, as Iruka wrapped a foam-rubber blanket around her shoulders, even as she continued to sob into his embrace. Her own body's processes, accompanied by Naruto's seemingly superhuman ability to generate copious amounts of body heat, began quickly warming her shivering, wracked frame.

For the first time in days, Naruto smiled…_genuinely_. Not one of blood thirst, or malice, or anticipation thereof…but of relief, of happiness at seeing his friend alive and well. He seated Hinata's head in the nook between his chin and collarbone, absently rubbing her back, his heat continuing to seep into her body. Kyuubi came up on them and gently gave Hinata's face a lick, before settling down and leaning on the girl. She could feel Naruto's relief and elation at the girl's safety, and she too was rather happy that the girl was relatively unharmed, and back among friends.

What made Naruto happy, after all, made _her_ happy. She was quickly beginning to re-realize that fact.

Iruka and Kurenai both had warm smiles on their faces at seeing the two Genin interact. The scene before them was incredibly heartwarming. Naruto looked so relieved to see his friend safe. Hinata had also seemed to have the beneficial effect on Naruto of calming him down, something that both impressed and relieved Iruka to no end.

For her part, Kurenai made note of the scene in her mind, taking great care never to forget it. It reminded her of why she was a Shinobi…and it reminded her that above all else, they were still human.

That, and it was saccharinely romantic. She has always been a sucker for such scenes, dating back to the first time she had gotten her hands on her mother's romance novels. The knight-in-shining-armor saving the damsel-in-distress, while sappy, chauvinistic and downright _dated_, was still very moving, for both genders, even though males didn't admit it. Females had come a long way, but some gender-specific archetypes seemed to remain, regardless.

Not that she would have it any other way.

Romance wasn't dead after all.

Remembering the situation, Kurenai turned back towards the two cloud Nin who were looking both surprised, angered and more than a little frustrated.

She put her hands on her hips. "Your plan and your ambitions have failed. You have lost two of your Nin, while we have gained back one. You're defeated." Her eyes narrowed. "Leave, or surrender. Otherwise…"

Pointing with her thumb back over her shoulder to the maimed and deformed dead Nin on the ground that Naruto…with Iruka's help…had killed, she smirked. "Well, I think you get the idea, right?"

The portly Nin up front sputtered. "…Leave?! Surrender?! You…you killed…you killed our partners! We're renown through the world! We've never lost! You show up and kill two of us, and you expect us to surrender, bitch?!"

Kurenai's eyes narrowed. So did Iruka's.

The thinner Nin behind the larger one stepped forward. "You have that…" He gestured to Naruto, who was now looking very menacingly at the two Kumo Nin.

"…_thing_ with you. Now that he has his precious whore back, it's just you two versus us two." Naruto growled, but a hand in front of him from Iruka stopped him. "Two Jounin versus a Jounin and a Chuunin? Do you really think you can win without that monsters help?"

Before Kurenai could respond, Iruka, behind her, put a hand on her shoulder and stepped in front of her, slowly.

Kurenai just raised an eyebrow.

Iruka's head was bowed. "Kurenai-san…I'll take them. Just guard Naruto and Hinata."

Said Jounin furrowed her brow. "Iruka…they have a point. We are at a slight disadvantage. We need to work together –"

"No…I'll be enough. Trust me." The Chuunin's voice was flat.

Furrowing her brow further, she decided to at least humor the man. Iruka was a competent Nin, after all…and if anything went wrong, she could easily step in to help him.

Besides…he looked rather determined, regardless. Perhaps he needed a bit of an anger release. She couldn't really blame him.

She gestured lazily with her free hand, the other holding a kunai. Essentially, it was giving him carte blanch.

Unseen to anyone, Iruka smiled…slowly building into a grin. When he spoke, his voice came out gravelly…deeper than usual.

"Oi…Kumo Nin."

The cloud Jounin looked at him somewhat hesitantly.

He brought his head up.

Both of them took a step back.

"You're going to regret calling my student a monster."

----------------------------------------------------

It wasn't something Kakashi was proud of.

Nor was it something he would ever speak of.

Ever.

As he lazily covered up his Sharingan eye, staring at the dead form of the decidedly…_weird_…Nin he had just defeated, he couldn't help but shudder.

The Nin had been good. His chakra strings had been able to block his weapons, ensnare his punches, and act as whips even.

He absently refrained from the urge to rub his ass.

But in the end, Kakashi had something that the other Nin didn't have.

Sharingan. More specifically, the ability to cast a Genjutsu by simply looking at him.

He had mentally taken a scene from Icha Icha paradise that he knew by heart…a scene wherein one man had been pleasuring three women at once, and doing quite the good job at it…and then…

He had _altered_ it.

And then projected it as a Genjutsu through his Sharingan.

The Nin had stopped. Just stopped. After a few seconds, he had begun to froth at the mouth.

Kakashi had very calmly, very professionally, gone up to the Nin and slit his throat.

Anticlimactic.

He had this sudden urge to wash his brain with bleach.

"Kakashi…shouldn't we keep moving?"

Shaking his head to break himself of his rather disgusting reverie, he looked back at his student, who was looking at him with a mix of trepidation and carefully concealed interest.

He sighed almost shudderingly. "…yeah, we should. We've wasted enough time here. Lets go."

Both Nin took off down the corridor as fast as they could.

Kakashi made a mental note to ask Sasuke never to speak of this encounter again.

-------------------------------------------------

The session she had just finished with the pig-mouthed Gato had been…_fun_.

Under any other circumstances, she would have savored it…maybe drink some sake, tease Kurenai, gorge herself on Dango…

But sometimes, the information you get from a 'subject' is time sensitive.

Like now.

Like _right fucking now_.

As Anko speedily made her way back to the village, she cursed under her breath. This whole thing was a setup. Every single part of it. The kidnappings, the reinforcements, the Nin mixed in with the mercenaries…everything.

All for the 'prey'. She didn't know who the prey was…Gato apparently hadn't even been told.

But it was _someone_ from their group. Someone who the mastermind behind all of this hoped to get his hands on, or kill…whichever. Hinata had been the initial bait for reinforcements to be sent…and the pink haired one…Sakura…

She'd been the bait for them to launch the assault on the compound.

The same compound that the 'mastermind' was at. Someone who even Gato didn't know the name of.

She didn't like this. She didn't fucking like this at all. They just didn't know enough. Shinobi who went into situations without knowledge of the situation itself got themselves _killed_.

She had to get to that dog Kakashi had left behind. The mutt was probably faster than her, and she still needed to be in the village to protect it, should any Nin decide to break rank and ransack a helpless village.

The dog could communicate the message to Kakashi. After that…

Well, Kakashi, outside of the Sandaime and the Sannin, was probably the most powerful overall Shinobi in the entirety of Konoha. If he couldn't pull off a win, no one could.

She sensed it only a moment before it happened. Three distinct Shunshin signatures, right in front of her, blocking her path. She narrowed her eyes and cursed.

And then her eyes widened.

Those damned brats…

"Mitarashi Anko, Tokubetsu Jounin of Konohagakure, part of the Torture and Interrogation unit…apprentice to the former Sannin, Orochimaru. We seem to have good luck today."

In front of the Iwa Nin that had just spoken were Kiba, Akamaru and Shino, beaten up badly and tied tightly with ninja wire.

The foxes and single hound that had been tasked with their escort were nowhere to be seen.

The one to the left of the one who had spoken stepped forward. All three of them looked rather nondescript…though she could tell…they weren't chumps. They had too much chakra to be normal Chuunin, and their Shunshin was stealthy enough that she hadn't even felt them coming until they were basically on top of her.

Jounin, then. Shit.

"We have been instructed to see to your demise, Mitarashi-san. The leader anticipated Gato's eventual failure…you have been most useful in their eradication."

The third of the group stepped forward. "As useful as you have been, however, orders are orders. You understand…it is simply the way this world works."

She bit back the first thing on her tongue…it wouldn't pay to piss them off now. Instead, she decided to stall.

For what…she didn't know. But…she couldn't take these three on by herself. Especially not when they had hostages.

Her only real chance was backup. From where, she didn't know. How to signal them, she had no idea.

She was fucked, for all intents and purposes. She just hoped that her 'fucked' status wouldn't become literal.

Standing, her face became impassive, her eyes hard, her stance loose. "What do you want for those three's safety?"

Her first priority had to be the Genin.

The middle one glanced down at the kids at his feet, before looking back up at her. "We have no interest in harming these Genin or the dog. They were not part of the orders. Assuming you cooperate, these three will simply be left in the care of wave."

Her eye twitched. "Cooperation? You mean…if I give up and just let you kill me?"

The one on the right nodded barely. "That's the general idea. Though, we won't be performing the deed here. Too conspicuous."

She sighed. That was essentially code speak for, 'We have to interrogate you, then we'll kill you.'

Fuck.

She glanced at the unconscious Genin at the Nin's feet. There really wasn't any choice. She could save one…maybe…before they killed the other two…

But there would still be two dead.

Yeah. No choice.

Walking forward, she placed her wrists in front of her.

She hoped Kurenai appreciated this…or else she'd haunt her ass for all eternity.

The far left Nin smirked.

-----------------------------------------------------

_Kyuubi…_

_His parents…_

_The village…_

…_Kyuubi!_

_It was all the fox's fault…his parents…all those people…the Yondaime…the damned fox…_

_He cried harder._

_He felt a man sit down next to him on the park bench. Swallowing a hiccup, he glanced at the newcomer._

_The man was one armed…scarred from head to toe, and in bandages still…injuries sustained from the Kyuubi, probably. The man definitely looked as though he'd gotten really beaten up._

_The man smiled down at him._

"_Is everything alright?"_

_He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head._

_The man's eyes seemed to soften. "Did you lose someone in the attack?"_

_He hiccupped and rubbed his eyes. "…my…my parents…"_

_The man rubbed his back soothingly, a sympathetic look adorning his aged visage. His voice was soft and grandfatherly. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, Iruka. Everyone in this village lost someone yesterday. We _all_ lost the Yondaime." He smiled barely. "Just remember, we're all in this together, right?"_

_The man flashed him a disarming and kind grin._

_Iruka barely managed to smile back, but nodded regardless. The man was nice. He felt safe, at least._

_A period of silence. "Iruka…I know something that might make you feel better."_

_Iruka brought his tear-streaked face up to meet the man's gaze. "…you do?"_

_The man nodded. "You know that the Kyuubi…is still alive, don't you? About how _he_ sealed it?"_

_Iruka nodded again, slightly alarmed this time though. "…but the Sandaime said we weren't to talk about it, right?"_

_The man chuckled, before poking his nose playfully. "This is our secret then, ok? Besides, the law was made to make people not talk to those who _don't_ know about it…not necessarily to talk to those who do."_

_As if finally understanding, Iruka nodded. That made sense._

_The man smiled happily. "Well then…Iruka…do you want to be a Shinobi?"_

_Iruka nodded again fervently._

_The man's smile widened. "And you want to be the best Shinobi you can possibly be, right? For your parents, and for everyone who lost people today, right?"_

_Iruka smiled beamingly._

_The man leaned down towards him with a huge smile on his face. "Well, why don't I train you? I can make you a really powerful Shinobi. That should help you feel better…_and_…"_

_The man looked around, as if trying to find people hiding, before turning an almost patriarchal smile on the young one next to him. "…when you get older, and really strong, you can help me kill the Kyuubi! Something not even the Sandaime or the Yondaime could do! Wouldn't that make you feel a lot better?"_

_Iruka seemed to look confused for a minute. "…but…Sandaime-sama said that the Kyuubi is sealed inside of a newborn…right? How can you kill it then?"_

_The man chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair playfully. "Silly! How could something like the Kyuubi fit inside of a baby? No, he told you that to make you feel better. He had the best of intentions, but…in reality…"_

_He leaned down to whisper in the boy's ear. "…the kid _is_ Kyuubi. Just in a different form. You know how Kitsune are tricksters, right?"_

_Iruka's eyes widened. "…the baby…_is_ the Kyuubi? Sandaime…lied to me?"_

_The man actually laughed. "No, no, he didn't lie to you, Iruka. Well…not really anyway." The man ruffled his hair again. "You see, the old man is just too nice for his own good. He thought it would make you feel better to tell you that the Kyuubi was sealed and not transformed. He's not a bad person, and he had no intentions of hurting you, Iruka. He was just…wrong."_

_The boy seemed to think a moment, before nodding, almost to himself. The man smiled again, before standing up and extending a hand to the young boy._

"_Well, there's no time like the present, right? Let's get started right away! You'll be a strong Shinobi in no time under my tutelage…I have no doubts that you'll make your parents and the Yondaime proud"_

_Iruka positively beamed. Without even a second thought, Iruka took the man's hand._

_The man formed a half-ram seal, and with barely a whisper, they disappeared._

-------------------------------------------------

Iruka opened his eyes.

In front of him lay two dead Jounin…Jounin that he had killed only moments before…rather easily, at that.

Considering his training…his…_modifications_…

It wasn't surprising.

But…he hated using them. Absolutely hated it. It reminded him. That was more than enough to make him absolutely…_detest_ them. No matter how much they helped him in combat.

He wasn't supposed to know. That part of his life was supposed to be sealed off to him, fully obscured under powerful seals.

He'd known…for years now. The nightmares…the flashbacks…the times when smells, or sights or feelings would surface, and he would get brief flashes of memory.

It hadn't taken him long to piece it all together, and regain his memory.

He just thanked god that the seals held back his…more undesirable traits. The modifications and the memories he could deal with. The actual…_feelings_…

He'd sooner shove a kunai through his skull than give into those feelings ever again.

Naruto was too precious to him. He'd be no better than Uchiha Itachi.

With a mental 'shove', his eyes shifted back to normal…his skin back to its normal dark-tan hue. His hands back to their calloused and strong yet still nimble former forms.

The seal on the back of his neck hissed slightly as everything was _put back_…where it should be.

He turned around. What he got wasn't entirely unexpected.

Kurenai looked…_horrified_. Naruto looked…

Strangely unaffected.

Hinata didn't even seem to notice. She was too busy crying…or sleeping…or snuggling, or perhaps just fainted. Honestly…that girl had a one-track mind.

Still slightly miffed that Naruto didn't much care that he had just become…_something else_…he turned to just stare at the boy.

Unexpectedly, Naruto's eyes almost literally lit up. His mouth turned upwards into a grin. His entire expression shown of amazement.

"That…was…fucking…_awesome_."

Iruka and Kurenai both sighed and sweat-dropped.

And then the dog showed up.

--------------------------------------------------------

A knife through butter like a Zanbato through flesh.

Iwa really needed to train their Nin better.

He doubted really that they'd even needed to be there…his and Haku's presence here seemed almost like overkill. A few hundred poorly trained Chuunin with a few Jounin sprinkled in here and there.

It hadn't lasted more than a half hour.

And in the end, much to their dismay, they came in tied for kill counts. That damned black fox…

Maybe he could fight the summon. Had to be more fulfilling than _this_ little bloodbath.

Seconds before it happened, he jumped backwards and watched as Haku did the same. This spared them from falling inevitably to their deaths.

No one survived a hole that deep.

And that led to the question of _what_ made the hole in the first place.

He heard a yelp behind him, and turned to see a red two tailed fox get impaled by a long sinewy, almost insectile protrusion. The fox bled for a moment before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

The same thing was repeated about ten times before the black fox barked something, and the foxes reformed on the fox-commander's flank.

Zabuza wasted no time in going back to back with his tool-cum-apprentice.

A high, squeaky, almost grating noise came from the forest…it sounded something like fingernails on a chalk board.

It took him a moment to recognize it as a laugh.

The fox spoke before he did. "Dishonorable! You would attack from the ground? Are you not warriors!"

It was shouting to something he still couldn't see. The same voice as before came back, echoing.

"_Warriors, Kitsune?_" The voice laughed again. "_My, whatever gave you that idea?_"

Zabuza spoke quietly. "Fox…who's there…who are you talking to?"

If the fox heard him, he ignored him. "I fought your…_kin_…a long time ago. They were honorable then. Have they fallen so far under a new queen?"

The voice was louder…as if it was getting closer. "_Fallen…what an ugly word. No, we have not fallen, dog of the ningen. We have become stronger than you could ever imagine."_

Zabuza felt something crawling on his skin…looking down, he saw a spider, with a small red violin shape on it. A split second before he turned it into bug-goo, it bit him.

Within seconds, he could feel it.

Black widow. He was already dizzy. He absently heard Haku call out his name.

The voice laughed from the forest again…before he saw something he would never forget.

Spiders…hundreds of them…ranging in size from no larger than a hamster, to…

Some that looked like they could swallow horses whole.

They came out of the forest in droves…like the trees and ground were moving. It was as if they were endless.

And then behind the spiders, came…

The kitsune behind him growled. "…Kumono Kisaki. Jyorougumo. So you're the queen now."

The spider, roughly ten times the size of the four tailed fox, laughed. "_Not queen…_"

It seemed to hiss again…its eight eyes focusing squarely on them. His hair actually stood up on end. The spider's maw of a mouth opened, its mandibles clicking.

"…_Empress!_"

They attacked.

From his position, hidden underground, Rouhi smiled, only barely.

The blonde one wasn't the only one with summons.

------------------------------------------------------

"Kakashi to Kurenai. Status check, over?"

A slight hiss. The line picked up.

"…we've rescued Hinata, but there are some complications. Your Nin-dog showed up about five minutes ago…luckily, Naruto was somehow able to understand it. Iruka is currently en route to wave village to back up Anko, who has apparently been captured. He plans to drop off Hinata with Tazuna's family in the process. Also…"

The line went dead for a moment. Kakashi kept surveying the open room they were at, with the three or so ways they could continue. Stairs…ladders…even an elevator. The place was built almost like a maze.

Anko being captured definitely wasn't a good thing…but with Iruka…

She was just about as safe as Kurenai was with Naruto. Then again…all things considered…they might very well be in danger anyway.

The line came back alive. "…the Nin that were carrying Hinata weren't Iwa. They were Kumo."

His eyes went wide. "…Kumo? You're sure of it?"

This time, it was Naruto's voice over the earpiece. "They didn't smell like earth, and they used Raiton Jutsu. Yeah, we're sure."

Kakashi took a moment to think. If they were dealing with both Kumo and Iwa Nin…more than that, did this mean that they were working together?

Suddenly, there was far more going on than he originally thought.

He pressed his transmit button. "…right then. That means we need to move the timetable up. Sasuke and I have a fairly good idea where Sakura is at the moment, however the compound itself is built almost like a maze. I'm going to use a Doton Jutsu to bring the complex down…or rather…up, I suppose."

Kurenai's semi-concerned voice buzzed over the earpiece. "Are you sure that's wise? There might be people in there besides Sakura…and more than that…what if she gets injured in the process?"

Kakashi once again pressed the transmit button. "It's a risk, I'll admit…but a risk we have to take. Besides that, I already sent my Nin-dogs to scout the complex thoroughly. The place seems abandoned, aside from the resistance we encountered early." His voice became a tad more commanding. "Regardless, we'll deal with the consequences afterwards. For now, our number one priority is getting Sakura back and then getting out of here alive."

Naruto and Kurenai both tapped their transmit buttons once in acknowledgement.

Nodding, mostly to himself, Kakashi turned to a wall. Sasuke, behind him, wondered briefly what he was doing, until Kakashi unsheathed his Ninja-to and calmly cut a square hole in the wall.

He supposed it never occurred to the Jounin to use a door.

They stepped outside.

Sasuke was suddenly reminded that he had arachnophobia.

------------------------------------------------

In the entire time she'd had it, she had never once used her cursed seal.

Ever.

This meant, according to both the Sandaime and a few medical professionals she had spoken to, that the seal had become 'dormant'. The seal had essentially become completely introverted unto itself, having very little to no influence on her mental processes or overall state of mind or body.

Meaning it didn't work, basically.

She was currently regretting that.

Anko currently found herself rather tightly bound to a tree, as the three Iwa Nin 'prepared' the area of forest they had chosen for her interrogation. The two Genin plus one dog were still out cold, sitting at the side of the clearing with the shortest of the three guarding them…or rather, being there to make sure he can kill them if she gets out of line.

The Nin were definitely professionals. As per universal modus operandi for interrogation, she was naked, completely stripped of her ninja tools and bound in such a way that her body was unable to even _move_, save for her mouth. This meant, essentially, that she couldn't use the joint-dislodging technique every Genin was taught to get out of her bonds if she had to…not that it would really do her any good either way. So long as the brats and the dog were imperiled, she was as helpless as a newborn.

She sighed. She had always hoped that it wouldn't end this way. She had wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, taking as many motherfuckers with her as she could. Or at least go out protecting someone or something she held precious to her.

But, as per all pipe dreams…she supposed it wasn't to be. Most Nin actually went out this way…interrogated, tortured…if you were a Kunoichi, sometimes raped…and then killed unceremoniously. It wasn't glorious, it wasn't honorable…it was just…

Depressingly defeating.

One of the stone Nin walked up to her and gestured to get her attention. She scowled at him. He kept that same infuriatingly passive expression he had maintained the whole time.

He reached into his shuriken pouch, producing a syringe. "I know you're familiar with normal procedure for the capture and interrogation of enemy Shinobi. Ask for information first, cause pain emotionally, mentally and physically if necessary, and then dispose of them after their usefulness is at an end." He squirted the end of the syringe to make sure it worked. "It's not a pretty job, but someone has to do it."

She snorted. "No one gets into T and I without enjoying it at least a little bit. Drop the impassive act, it doesn't become you."

To both her uneasiness and satisfaction, he merely smirked and nodded. "True enough. I can't honestly say this won't be…_fun_, to a certain extent…" He trailed off…chuckling after a small time. "…for me, at least."

The second one walked up to them, holding a metal fire poker, red hot at the tip. "Though, should you give us any and all information we seek right now, at the beginning, the torture won't be necessary. We _can_ grant you a quick, clean death."

She actually rolled her eyes, belying the nervousness she felt all of a sudden. "You already know the answer to that one. You won't be getting a thing out of me…that much I promise."

The second one actually raised an eyebrow, glancing cursorily over to the Genin that still lie on the ground. "…even if it means _their_ deaths?"

She cursed. She almost forgot about them.

Both Nin smirked.

The first one injected the syringe, straight into her neck.

Within a second, she was feeling…

_Off_. Almost detached. Dizzy. Muddy thoughts. She couldn't think straight…

Increased temperature…

Increased nervous function…meaning, an increased sense of touch, pain and pleasure…

Though she doubted she'd be experiencing any pleasure any time soon.

Mentally, she cursed, as her body wasn't quite obeying her at the moment.

SP-17. The strongest and most effective truth serum and general mind-altering barbiturate stone had available to them. She had used it a few times, trying to reverse engineer it.

Her thoughts were broken as she screamed.

-------------------------------------

Even before the academy, Naruto had been extremely good at both hiding, and detection.

During the academy, Naruto had only gotten better. It hadn't been uncommon to hear of Naruto being able to hide from entire ANBU squads after one of his infamous pranks. What's more, if anyone got close to his position, he had been good enough to be able to detect them, and run away before they ever got there.

Because Iruka had been the one usually tasked with finding Naruto during his academy years, this had all but forced Iruka to become _very_ good at the same things.

Hence why he was able to hide in the trees and assess the situation Anko was in without being detected. Despite his loss of concentration every time she screamed.

He could see rather easily why it was that the woman was in the position she was in. The Genin would be killed if she resisted…not to mention the fact that she was outnumbered and possibly outskilled.

Then again, if she didn't give them information soon…they might just start killing the Genin anyway. That, or the torture would get to her.

Iruka's eyebrows furrowed dangerously.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't allow them to hurt Anko any worse than they had…and he most certainly could not allow the Genin to die either.

But against three Jounin…if Anko couldn't even fight them…what chance did he, a Chuunin, have?

Against two Kumo Jounin, when he was pissed off…sure. Especially when that meant he could suppress his feelings. He had more than enough power to pull that off if he had focus. But…what about when he didn't have that focus he needed?

Would it happen again?

Anko screamed again, this time slightly longer than before. He could hear the beginning of her starting to sob.

No. He had focus. Anko was being _tortured_…the Genin might die…his students…

Dropping from the branch he had been standing on, he closed his eyes.

And let it _flow_.

-------------------------------------------

She couldn't really concentrate on much…save for the pain…yes…definitely the pain.

Maybe those shapes in front of her…they looked human…they were smiling a bit. Were they happy?

She wasn't happy. Were they happy that she _wasn't_? What bad men they were…

She screamed again.

The pain. Concentrate on the pain…no…no pain, don't feel the pain…

Pain was her world.

It felt like forever…a staircase leading up into infinity, all filled with that pain she felt now. There was really nothing else.

She could hear them ask something…some part of her mind understood it…her mouth tried to move…and another part of her mind understood that she shouldn't move her mouth. Moving her mouth was bad. Speaking was bad. Don't tell them. Don't speak.

Pain.

Don't speak…

_Pain_.

Don't speak…please don't speak…

Someone said something about…Genin? Kiba…kunai…throat…what?

A part of her mind realized this as a very bad thing.

Speaking would be bad too…but as bad as this?

Her mouth opened…

But then…she felt something…

Something besides the pain…

What?...it was…feeling…like…

The human shapes in front of her looked to not be smiling anymore…all three of them were back to back in the clearing…the Genin…

Something about the Genin was different…they were behind something that looked…weird.

That weird thing was coming towards the human shapes.

The human shapes went towards the weird thing.

A part of her mind recognized that when the human shapes fell apart, this was a good thing.

Good thing.

She smiled.

She didn't feel the pressure anymore…she was moving, somehow.

It was warm. Soft. It felt better. A lot better.

She relaxed.

Darkness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

It was…unfamiliar.

Iruka had easily taken her back to this house, a place where he said she would be safe. She had been miffed at being separated from Naruto, but a simple smile from him had easily cleared that up.

What was decidedly odd to her was being…_mothered_.

Tsunami…an admittedly beautiful woman…was fussing and fiddling around with her like she was some kind of doll. Applying antiseptic, bandages, wrapping her in a cloak, giving her some soup to eat, constantly asking her how she felt, asking her if she wanted something…

It was irritating.

And she loved every minute of it.

Even the child…Inari, he'd said his name was…had been rather helpful, or at least curious. She thought that perhaps he had just wanted to get a good look at her while she was close to naked, but he hadn't come in until Tsunami had thrown a cloak around her and given her fresh clothes to change into. He had provided a rather fun distraction, all in all, asking her what being a ninja was like, asking her what Naruto was like when he fought, asking her all sorts of questions a curious child his age would very much be expected to ask.

It was almost like having a little brother. It was fun.

"Nee-chan…_nee-chan_…are you alright?"

Her eyes widened. She had been spacing out. Inari was looking at her concernedly.

She looked down and gave him a smile. "I'm fine, Inari-kun." She hesitated for a moment, before experimentally patting his head. He didn't seem to mind…and it was endearing in a way. "I was simply thinking."

Inari cocked his head to the side. "About what?"

Hinata tapped her lips thoughtfully. "…well…about everything that's happened, I suppose. And about Konoha, and…life in general, I guess."

The boy scrunched up his face. "Boring."

She couldn't help but giggle slightly. He was cute and endearing, whether he intended to be or not.

The front door slammed slightly…and despite herself, she reached to her thigh for a Kunai, before realizing that she didn't have her pouch with her. Standing shakily, she threw off the cloak and made to the front door, being that she was the only Shinobi here. Even if she was weak and injured, she would still be a far better fighter than a civilian. She noticed Inari following behind her, but didn't have the time or confidence to tell him to stay put.

Once she caught sight of just what had happened at the front door, her knees gave out.

Kiba…Shino…Akamaru…and a woman, naked, burned, bleeding…all being carried by Iruka…

She only knew how to do one thing in a situation like this. Faint.

And despite everything she tried, she couldn't stop herself.

---------------------------------------------------------

Everything was progressing quite nicely.

Gato had predictably gotten himself killed fighting Mitarashi Anko…he had hemorrhaged information however, so he had to send in his three contingency Nin to deal with her before she was able to alert the others. They'd taken care of the foxes easily enough with the few spider summons he sent with them…and the Genin proved no real match. The dog had run, however, something which at the time, he hadn't thought much about.

That dog had gotten information to them, though…about her imperilment. That had irked him, until he learned that all they had sent as backup had been the Chuunin and the newly rescued Hyuuga.

He fully expected to get a report later on that said both had died. He could have gone to the effort of looking through their minds to gauge their situation, but…three Jounin with hostages against a Chuunin and a badly injured Genin?

It wasn't worth the effort. Besides, they were on the edge of his range anyway. It would take too much concentration. That had been the only reason he hadn't had someone spy on Naruto the whole time in the first place. Even his abilities had limits.

Strangely enough, this had resulted in him not getting a detailed report on the battle between the Kumo Jounin and the Konoha rescuers. His underground spy had arrived only _after_ the fight had culminated…though he said that all four Jounin had died, and there had been a rather massive crater present. Had he been able to look through his slaved minds, he could have at least felt the chakra from the battle…but as it was, his spy had been out of range, and not nearly as sensitive to chakra as he was. Then again, it's not like he couldn't extrapolate.

A fierce but all too common battle, resulting in the use of draining yet not debilitating Jutsu. The Konoha Nin had probably gone through a rather taxing fight…but even he would freely admit that the Kumo Jounin were sub-par, even compared to Konoha Shinobi.

Shifting his focus back to the battle at hand, he let another small smile bloom on his aged lips.

The spiders were winning…no real surprise there. Zabuza was fighting at _maybe_ fifty percent of normal…Haku was exhausted…Kakashi and Sasuke both were built more towards one-on-one fighting, not for a swarm of this size…and while the foxes were undoubtedly strong, especially the four tailed brute…the spider empress was easily keeping him busy.

This left only two 'unknowns'. The red-eyed Genjutsu Jounin, and his intended prey.

And he had ways of disabling the Jounin.

--------------------------------------

It was…almost surreal.

Like something out of a B-Movie. The ones where the big giant monsters fought in cities and destroyed everything, only to vanish into the sea afterwards.

Only…this wasn't in a city. Nor was there a sea to vanish into anywhere nearby.

But there were giant monsters. That much, this scene had in spades.

Naruto and Kurenai waded into the fray, intent on reaching Kakashi and Sasuke's position near the compound itself. The blonde Genin had started using his sword and a copious usage of raw wind chakra to start severing spider appendages and heads in his path of gore, while Kurenai had contented herself with staying in Naruto's wake, using a kunai to chop and stab at anything that got even remotely close.

Kurenai was a Kunoichi…a Ninja. Naruto was a warrior. She was very quickly coming to that realization.

Not even she could pull off carnage like this. Hell, she doubted even Kakashi could. The power – enhanced by chakra – behind his strikes was absolutely enormous…the wind that was chopping and slashing at anything in front of him even more so. The raw chakra expenditure he was constantly outputting was easily heads and tails above anything Kurenai could produce. Mind you, her control was better by exponents, but…to a certain extent it was like comparing apples and oranges.

Demonically enhanced and furious oranges.

Behind her, she could make out a few foxes guarding their flank, protecting their summoner with everything they had. She could also sense that when Naruto had joined the battle, the foxes had doubled and tripled their efforts against the spiders, seeming to gain a major morale boost from his mere presence. Even more than that, his own ferocity seemed to be picked up by his summons, who looked to be in the midst of some instinctual bloodrage.

It was comforting, in a very disconcerting way.

"Naruto! Please, help! Help Zabuza-sama!"

She snapped her head towards the sound to see a distraught and exhausted Haku standing over an almost collapsed Zabuza, who was only staying standing by virtue of his massive sword.

The blonde Genin to her rear growled for a moment before using his sword to skewer a smaller spider that had been creeping up on Kurenai. Forcing a small amount of chakra into his blade, he cleaned it of bug-goop and made a dash to Zabuza's position.

He knelt by the man's side, activating his diagnostics. "What happened?" He swept his hand over the length of the older man's body.

Haku used a senbon to deflect a spider pincer, before making a handseal and skewering said spider with an ice stalagmite. "He…collapsed shortly before the battle started. He hasn't moved much since, save for a few times that he performed Jutsu."

Before Naruto could respond, Zabuza coughed, seeming to focus with great effort. "Spider…bite…hand…" He growled and shook his head. "…widow."

Kyuubi cursed in Naruto's head, seeming to growl from her perch around Naruto's neck. She began explaining without prompt. _**"Black widow venom. Damn…that stuff…"**_ She trailed off for a moment before resuming. _**"Black widow venom is a neurotoxin…one of the most potent neurotoxins in the world. If he got bit by a black widow even fifteen minutes ago, the effects by now would be enough to put him under for days…weeks, even."**_

Naruto cursed as well. _'So how do I remove it, or neutralize it or…'_

She made a negative sound. _**"That's just it. You don't. If it were a regular poison, you could isolate it and pull it out rather easily, but with a neurotoxin, you're dealing with the brain again. Isolating a chemical like a neurotoxin in the brain is like trying to find and isolate radiation in uranium."**_

He quirked his eyebrow. _'Uranium?'_

She was strangely quiet for a moment. _**"Nevermind. Forget that. Understand?"**_

Not quite understanding, but not having the time to press it, he just nodded.

Again, she growled within the confines of his mind. _**"The only chance we really have is using the regeneration Jutsu of yours. He won't die…he's entirely too strong to succumb to something like this…but like I said, he won't be cogent again for days or even weeks if you don't take care of the toxin within the next few minutes."**_

He swiftly moved his hands to Zabuza's head, and made to activate the seal.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't. It's not worth the risk. They were expendable the moment they joined us."

Looking behind him, he saw Kakashi and Sasuke, who were protecting him from being hurt as he checked on the former mist Nin. Kakashi had guessed his course of action perfectly.

His eyes slightly widening, he shook his head. "I won't accept that. They've helped us this far…to abandon them now –"

" – Is exactly the course of action we should take." Kakashi looked at him sternly, with only a small amount of sympathy present in his eyes.

Standing quickly, a mask of anger quickly replaced his almost shocked expression. "No! I will not abandon them after they have helped us this far! I don't care if it's the right course of action or tactically sound or any of that bullshit!"

Motioning slightly to Kurenai, the red-eyed Jounin took up position next to Sasuke, freeing up Kakashi. He immediately gave Naruto a hard look, his Sharingan spinning.

"Naruto…this is the way the Shinobi world works. Enemies can be allies one moment, enemies again the next. Friends can turn on you when you least expect it, people can kill you without a second thought, simply because they were ordered to." He knelt down and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, staring his student straight in the eyes. "This is reality. The world was not made to be fair or just." He sighed and tried to give Naruto an expression of regret, but still managed to keep it stern. "They have helped us…they have served their purpose. It's time to move on with the mission."

Quite unexpectedly, as Kakashi was using his Sharingan to implant his speech as a 'suggestion' in Naruto's conscious, Naruto calmly slapped his sensei's hand away. Naruto's pupils had become slits.

"Fuck you. I don't care how the Shinobi world works." He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "If that's how it is, then I'll just change it. Stop me at your own risk, _Sensei_."

He turned around quickly and proceeded to let the Kyuubi's chakra flow through the medical seal and into Zabuza's head.

-------------------------------------------

"_Fuck you. I don't care how the Shinobi world works. If that's how it is, then I'll just change it."_

Rouhi really couldn't help that his eyes widened fractionally.

The boy was idealistic, headstrong and naïve.

It was like he was looking through a window of the past. The boy…and his father…were…

He narrowed his eyes and completely rid himself of all emotion.

Throwing one last look at his prisoner who would just about be ready to wake up, he made to set the climax in motion.

-------------------------------------------------

If he weren't in so much pain, he could have done something to help. As it was, all he could do was wash the toxins from the regeneration Jutsu out of his body, and hope the situation resolved itself.

"Your student is an idiot."

Kakashi, Zanbato at his throat, didn't seem to react. "There are sometimes that I would agree with you."

Naruto felt kind hands lift him up from his position lying prone on his back. His head was steadied on a pillow of sorts…he glanced back. It was Haku's lap.

The girl looked down at him, her mask off, a kind, almost sad expression on her face. "…thank you…again."

He managed a smirk, even as his chakra washed the pain from his body. "Heh…don't thank me yet…those two…"

Haku looked back up at the two Jounin who were facing one another. Zabuza's zanbato was held just centimeters from Kakashi's throat…while Kakashi's ninja-to was held only centimeters from the Nukenin's heart.

As the battle raged on either side of them, foxes against spiders, the two Jounin level Nin simply stood their ground, neither one willing to give an inch.

"We don't really have time for this, Zabuza." Kakashi glanced to the side, watching another fox get killed…or de-summoned, as it were…by a spider.

One of Zabuza's eyes twitched dangerously. "Oh? Don't we? I could have sworn that you were just willing to let me die a few seconds ago…now you want to fight again?" He snorted derisively, looking at Kakashi's ninja-to. "Not going to use that…_sword_…of yours to finish off what that spider started?"

Both of Kakashi's eyes narrowed, and a glint appeared in them. Zabuza immediately recognized it. He'd seen it before.

The look of a man preparing himself to kill, heartlessly and without remorse.

He could respect that.

Slowly, without a jerk, Zabuza lowered his Zanbato.

Equally as slowly, after a small pause, Kakashi lowered his ninja-to.

"We'll finish this afterwards, Copy-Nin."

"If you make it that far, demon of the mist."

Without flourish, both Nin turned around and began to tear into the spiders once more with merciless abandon, their spat momentarily forgotten.

Kurenai, who was gutting a spider…

Or was that the gut?

God, these things were disgusting.

She shook her head exasperatedly.

Men and their bullheaded competitiveness. It was like watching them compare size without dropping their pants.

Then again, she wouldn't complain if they did…you know…actually drop their pants.

A girl's got to get what she can.

She refused to acknowledge that little voice in the back of her head that was screaming something about yaoi.

------------------------------------------

He gave the signal for his other subordinates to begin the final phase.

He hid in his position underground.

The boy was down…weakened…though he looked to be getting progressively better.

His spiders were seemingly evenly matched against Naruto's force of foxes…at the moment, anyway.

But that was _with_ the help of those Nin.

He'd soon fix that.

He felt his subordinates acknowledge that they too were ready.

With only the smallest of malicious smiles, he put his hands together in a few seals, ending in hebi.

"Doton: Harijigoku!"

The ground above him exploded into a field of deathly spikes.

--------------------------------------------------

He felt himself being thrown off of Haku's lap, upwards.

Before he had a chance to turn around to see just what the reasoning was for throwing him, he heard a feminine scream.

His last glimpse of the above-ground world was of Haku, and the spike that had impaled her belly…her limp form hanging off of a piece of earth, and the tears in her eyes.

And the smile looking at him, glad he was ok.

He screamed her name.

And then he was pulled into the blackness, not noticing that Kyuubi had vanished, taken by dark hands from around his neck.

------------------------------------

He had no idea what was going on, but things had just gone from manageably bad, to horribly abysmal in the space of a few seconds.

He, Kurenai, Sasuke and Zabuza, had all been able to evade the spikes when they shot up from the ground. Such a thing was mostly instinctual.

Haku…apparently hadn't been as lucky…but she _had_ saved Naruto in the process.

He could tell she was at least still alive. Kakashi sighed.

Leaping a small distance, he made his way over to where Haku was impaled, neatly chopping away the earth protrusion above her, but leaving the mass of it in her stomach. He knew enough about first aid to know that removing an object from a wound was sometimes the best way to get a patient killed. Especially in impaling. The object of impalements themselves usually staunched bleeding.

Absently, he did a diagnostic Jutsu, one of the very few medical techniques he knew.

He winced. It wasn't good…not good at all.

"Naruto."

He figured that this was something Naruto would definitely have to deal with…he had no chance of healing the girl without him.

After a few seconds of silence, he glanced around.

"Naruto?"

Again, silence, save for the foggy roar of battle.

No blonde mop of head, no sword-flashing blur of death, or blue-glow encased ghost of doom.

Nothing.

His stomach sank in apprehension.

He felt it behind him before he heard it. He deftly managed to block the strike with his ninja-to behind his back.

Iwa Nin. Five of them. All of them…looking unique in their own ways.

He narrowed his eyes…he recognized at least three from the Bingo book. All of them A-class.

He felt Zabuza soar over him, before the nukenin executed a neat downwards cleave against the Nin who was trying to kill him with a Kunai. The Nin dodged easily.

The Iwa Nin moved to surround them.

Three Jounin and a Genin, two of those Jounin bingo booked vs. Five Jounin, at least three of them bingo booked.

And a bunch of spiders. Couldn't forget the spiders.

He actually had the audacity to sigh.

Behind him, Zabuza grunted.

"Yeah. It's turning out to be one of those days, eh copy-Nin?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Yeah. One of those days."

Even Sasuke seemed exasperated, 'tsk'ing in annoyance.

Kurenai, beside them, clicked her teeth. "…you three are far too lax."

All three males just looked at her.

She sighed.

"Never mind."

With an unintelligible battle cry, the battle was joined.

------------------------------------------------------------

_Drip_.

Darkness. His eyes were open, and…well…he couldn't see a thing.

_Drip_.

He could move…that was a good sign. He didn't even feel that bad…just…_dizzy_. Lightheaded almost.

_Drip_.

He sat up. As soon as he had done so, a cascade of candles, leading from behind him to the end of whatever place he was in, lit almost simultaneously in order.

_Drip_. _Sizzle_.

It was…a rather weird place. A few columns here and there, holding up the ceiling…but most of the light was from lamps and whatnot on the walls and ceiling itself. It was musty…damp, humid…cool.

He stood with a grunt, and figured that he best be on his guard.

Because wherever he was…it wasn't where he wanted to be. Which meant he was where _someone else_ wanted him to be.

Which was never a good thing.

_Drip_.

_Step, step, step…_

Naruto's hand fell on his sword hilt immediately, a blue glow enshrouding him only seconds afterwards. His eyes, behind his white mask, scanned the chamber, while his nose and ears tried desperately to pick something up.

A deep, resonating, but harsh voice. "I thought you would be taller."

The voice came from all around him, as though the voice itself was sentient and all-encompassing. He snarled. "Sorry to disappoint you…whoever you are." His eyes narrowed. "Get out here so I can kill you and get this over with."

A laughing sound, much like chalk against concrete, echoing off the walls. "My, we don't have much patience, do we?" The voice chuckled again. "Calm yourself…we have some time to sit and chat. I'll even give you a bottle of Sake if you agree to simply give up."

Naruto unsheathed his sword. "Not happening."

Another chuckle. "I thought not. Excellent."

His world exploded in pain as he was thrown towards the far wall, a punch placed directly into his solar plexus. Seconds later, he slammed into the wall with enough force to create a several foot deep crater.

He hadn't even sensed him…no smell, no sound, no…_anything_. Hell, 'the voice' and the fist connected to it weren't even there anymore, having vanished back to wherever it had come from.

He slowly extracted himself from the crater, taking off his mask and spitting up a little blood. He clipped it to his belt.

The voice sounded satisfied. "Surprised? That technique of mine is an original, you know. It's nothing like your Tsunade's massive and ungodly strength…but it's far better, in terms of actual battle effectiveness."

Who the fuck was Tsunade?

Another chuckle. "Well, whatever. I'm sure an explanation of the technique would be quite lost on you. You don't seem to be the brightest crayon in the box."

He ignored the jibe. He needed help, badly. Near as he could tell, there was really only one source to get that from at the moment.

'_Kyuubi.'_

A few seconds of silence…no response.

His mental 'voice' raised in volume. '_…Kyuubi! Where are you? What's going on?_'

"Oh, I'm afraid she can't hear you at the moment. She's quite…otherwise occupied."

Before he could ask how the man had known he was trying to communicate with his symbiotic kitsune accomplice, another set of candles lit themselves.

He couldn't help but gape.

There, against the wall, was Kyuubi, in her human form, battered, beaten and bloody. She looked unconscious…and she was shackled to the wall by extremely thick links of chain.

…just like…

His eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. He almost lost the grip on his sword.

"…Sakura?"

She was dirty…shivering…barely clothed, and looked extremely pale. Like the visage of death itself. It was only by a small miracle she too was unconscious.

The laugh from the voice was louder this time. "Yes! I had wondered how long it would take you to notice. For all your enhanced sensory abilities, I would have thought her smell would be distinctive enough to pick out."

He _growled_.

"…let them go…you hear me?!" He turned around, looking at the ceiling, the ground, shouting at the walls if necessary. "LET THEM GO!"

A chuckle…that turned into laughter. It sounded like steel wool being rubbed against Teflon, or wood creaking under intense weight.

"_Let_ them go? My dear Naruto, are you forgetting that I'm your _enemy_?" Another hearty guffaw. "Oh of course, let me release them now, they're free to go…in fact, sorry about all of this; water under the bridge?" The laugh was louder, far more mirthful this time. "I know! Let's go for some Dango and Sake…my treat!"

His growl increased. He heard a derisive snort come from 'the voice'.

"Fool. If this is the level that Konoha Genin are at…then your village is truly more pathetic than even I could have foreseen."

Naruto bowed his head. His body shook with rage.

"…shut up…that's enough…the mere fact that you're still breathing makes me pissed off." He raised his head, sweating slightly. "Show yourself, you cowardly piece of dog shit!"

A liltingly saccharine voice from behind him. "Oh, but I'm right here."

He flew across the room once more, feeling at least two ribs break. His chest armor literally shattered.

He impacted with the floor, rolling like a rag doll for about a hundred yards maybe, before coming to a rest. He knew he had more than just two broken ribs now…his arm was broken…a groan of pain slipped from his throat, just as he coughed up more blood.

Even without Kyuubi's help though…he could feel his regeneration abilities already working.

Managing to stand shakily, he pulled a shard of broken metal out of his leg. He choked out even more blood. As before, the source of the punch was nowhere to be seen.

The voice again, sounding just the slightest bit surprised. "At the very least, you're sturdy. I've killed trained Jounin with but one of my punches before…for you to have taken two and survived…commendable."

He spit. More blood. "…I'm too stubborn to die, you old son of a bitch."

He set himself in a ready stance again, Ryuudou enveloping him…though, it was shaky. "…and I'll be damned if I die before I get those two back. You've got a lot to answer for, whoever you are…but if you're this strong…"

An amused chuckle. Something that sounded like clapping. "Very good deduction. It is as you suspect, of course. I am the puppet master behind all of this. The leader of all these Nin who are trying to kill you and everyone else in this country."

Naruto smirked, but it lacked any real confidence. "Then that means if I kill you…we win, right?"

Silence for a moment. The only sounds were of the candles flickering and the ever-present dripping.

The voice was honestly curious. "Do you…honestly believe you stand a chance?"

Naruto put his mask back on his face, before taking a deep breath. "I won't know unless I try!"

He knew where 'the voice' was.

Moving as fast as he could, he made a straight line towards the far corner of the room, where it was darkest. His sense of smell, hearing, and just a bit of intelligence had allowed him to pinpoint the man's location.

In the biggest shadow in the room.

Yelling, he thrust everything he had behind his sword, at an unseen wraith that he hoped was there.

He was rewarded when he heard the telltale sound of a sword piercing flesh. He grinned. A pregnant silence hung in the air.

"…interesting." Naruto frowned when the voice wasn't coming from in front of him, where the voice should have been dying from his sword wound.

"It took you a while…but you did manage to find…_me_…I suppose."

Whatever it was in the corner promptly exploded. He was flung through several pillars before he came to a rolling stop. This time, he couldn't help but cry out in pain. His entire body simply _hurt_.

Absently, he felt something fall off his face in pieces. He opened his eyes, before gently touching his cheek…

He pulled off a piece of broken white mask.

His father's mask. One of the few mementos he had left of his father.

He just stared at the piece for a moment, not quite comprehending that the mask could be shattered. It was symbolic, in a way…and he supposed he had thought the mask invulnerable.

Naruto's first tangible thought was actually…that the mask had protected him. In a rather roundabout way, his father had protected him, even from beyond the veil.

His second thought…or perhaps emotion, was unbridled, unfocused, raw, _horrible_ fury.

Ignoring his pain, he stood up, grunting and groaning a few times as bones and tendons protested. "You…motherfucker…"

The voice, amused. "Oh? Are we angry? They say too much anger and stress can shorten a lifespan."

For a moment, he just stood there, head bowed, legs shaky, arms jelly. He could feel himself healing faster…he was drawing on that power again…but it felt different this time…less focused…less directed…far more…unbridled.

He laughed for a moment…darkly, with power and purpose behind it.

Slowly, he reached into his backpack, which was still intact, somehow. His hand came out with three cylindrical, olive colored objects.

Rouhi, hidden in the shadows, widened his eyes slightly.

Naruto's eyes came back up, red, pupils slit, furiously glowing. His body began to heal before Rouhi's very eyes. The boy gained an almost sinister smile to go together with his bordering on evil aura of red.

He'd never felt an aura nearly as evil as this one…not once in his long life. It was…like the absence of life.

The blonde chuckled darkly. "You know what else can shorten your lifespan?"

The Genin lit all three grenades, and then threw them at three corners of the room, excluding the one where Kyuubi and Sakura were.

Naruto's voice was manic, almost crazy. "…a grenade shoved down your throat!"

Seconds later, the room became hell.

------------------------------------------------

Her opponent was…decidedly unintelligent.

For the better part of two minutes, the rather portly Nin that was her opponent had been fighting with an illusion of her, 'winning', at least in his own mind. She had simply taken up a hiding spot behind a small mound of earth, watching the man sneer and smirk and guffaw, all the while taunting 'her' with various sexist epithets and condescending remarks about her use as a Kunoichi, when she had such a 'fabulous body'.

The man had even gone so far as to consider her surrender, should she submit to him as a slave. He had made it sound like one of the best deals he had ever offered.

She had sighed. Men had two brains…and it was obvious which one _he_ was using.

As much as she wanted to simply finish him off, however…it was probably in her better interests to simply wait for him to wear himself out. If she revealed herself now, there was a possibility the 'extra' Nin that was floating around…somewhere…would choose that moment to strike. While she may succeed in killing the Genjutsu-trapped Iwa Jounin, she would probably pay with her own life as well.

Meaning that she simply had to keep funneling chakra to the Genjutsu, and keep her head on the swivel to find the other Nin.

A sound like a thousand birds chirping…and then a sound like a downed power line in a puddle.

"Raikiri!"

Her eyes widened, and she jerked her head to her left.

She had only ever seen Kakashi's prized and lauded original technique once before…and it had been at a distance. She had been on the wall, performing a rather boring but necessary patrol, when she had seen Kakashi, in his ANBU uniform, restrain a Nin in the forest and plunge his hand into the man's torso. Much of her vision had been obscured at the time by the fact that the light from the ANBU Captain's Jutsu was so bright, she could barely make him out.

Now, she was seeing it less than twenty five feet away.

With a sickening, fleshy, bloody sound, Kakashi pierced a thin, gaunt looking Jounin's heart…causing the man to grasp Kakashi's arm futilely for a second, before slumping backwards, very very dead.

Kakashi, with a quick motion, extracted his hand from his former opponents chest. He then calmly wiped his hand and arm on his leggings, and turned to look at her.

Kurenai's face was probably both sickened and amazed…but at the moment, she didn't really care too much. Kakashi didn't seem too either, barely even registering Kurenai before he was once again looking around, trying to find another opponent.

That Jutsu…was incredible. She could see now…why people hailed him as a genius, as a prodigy of almost unmatched talent. She could see why he had managed to make a name for _himself_, as opposed to simply being one of the students of the legendary Yondaime Hokage.

She could see why he was an ANBU captain.

And for a moment, she could see…a mantle of command, almost…surrounding him. Something she had never seen before, save for on the Hokage himself.

She shook her head minutely. What a foolish thought. Kakashi, as Hokage? The man was barely motivated enough to get up in the morning, much less do paperwork and hand out missions and meet with dignitaries all day, every day.

But…as she gazed upon his bloody, violent, focused, _cold_ looking body…

"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"

Both she and Kakashi jerked their heads over to a place not too far away where a massive conflagration of fire was now burning with the intensity of a small volcano. Realizing that the voice she'd heard was Sasuke's, she quickly bolted from her hiding spot and unceremoniously killed the Genjutsu-trapped Jounin with a flick of a Kunai. She didn't stay around to watch him die, as she and Kakashi both rushed towards the Genin.

They still had enemies to kill. This was no time for her to be acting like some star-struck little girl.

She could do that later.

--------------------------------------------------------

Revelations of life in the midst of battle.

The first revelation had been that he, despite all his bravado, had gotten rusty.

The second revelation had been that he, despite his reputation, was still human.

Which lead to the third and final revelation.

He was stronger when he was pissed off.

And he was pissed off because, simply, Haku might be dead.

It made no real sense as to _why_ that pissed him off, as Haku was a tool at best, a meat shield at worst…but…

It all came back to the second revelation, didn't it?

Well, wasn't that a pisser?

The Jounin in front of him, his unlucky enemy, looked on in fear as he caused the mist to envelope him. Zabuza had made sure to use copious amounts of his killing intent as well, basically freezing the man.

With all of his anger and frustration…well, he needed to take it out on _something_, right?

This would be fun.

"Eight points on a human body…where death is instant. Can you name them?"

The Iwa Jounin barely even registered him speaking.

He laughed into the mist, the sound echoing. "The problem, Niku-kun, is that you and your ilk had the bad luck to piss me off. A quick death would be entirely too good for you." He chuckled darkly. "No, you…you're gonna have to suffer. Really suffer…" As an afterthought, "…you're a Jounin right?"

The man trembled in the mist. He positively laughed.

"If you're a Jounin, you should have known about me the second you saw me. That begs the question…"

He lowered his voice, and made it sound like the devil himself come to claim a soul, simultaneously making a half-ram seal at the same time. "Do you really think you had any chance against a member of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananinshuu?"

Devil…

That's about exactly how he felt at the moment, actually.

The man in the mist screamed as air bubbles began forming in his veins.

He laughed again.

Contrary to popular belief, there was more in Zabuza's repertoire than silent and quick killing techniques.

It was a little technique Zabuza had picked up during his days as a mist Nin. A highly advanced Suiton Jutsu that literally used the blood in your target as a medium…you take the water present in their bloodstream, and…

_Evaporate_ it.

This resulted in two things. The person in question would be in horrible pain for the space of a few minutes…and they would undoubtedly die. It was known, medically, as a pulmonary embolism.

Of course, the Jutsu wasn't just something you could perform and forget about. You had to have time to set it up, and used quite a bit of chakra…not to mention the concentration, and the fact that if the target felt the chakra use, they could escape it…

But against certain targets, it worked just about perfectly. Namely, targets that were completely out of their league when facing him.

The man continued to scream into the unsympathetic mist, up until Zabuza vanished to find new prey.

-------------------------------------------------------

One of the primary points of Genjutsu was the severing of the victim's ties to both reality and other consciousnesses.

For instance, when one cast a Genjutsu, it was vital to sever that person's senses as much as possible, so as to lessen the ability for that person to realize they're in a Genjutsu in the first place. Secondly, one had to give the victim a sense of solitude, so as to make them think they're alone, therefore no one else is available to help, or to pull them from the Genjutsu prematurely.

In this case, being that it was…special…in a way, he'd not only severed Naruto's senses, but also his ability to freely communicate with the Kyuubi. Or perhaps, the better term was 'rerouted'…as all of Kyuubi's communications were being intercepted by him before they ever reached Naruto's ears.

It had produced unforeseen consequences.

Perhaps more than either of them knew, Naruto was completely in charge of Kyuubi's chakra stores. This was evidenced by the fact that even without the Kyuubi's intervention, Naruto was almost literally ripping chakra from the seal to power himself. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, as chakra without a purpose was useless.

The problem was that…while Naruto controlled Kyuubi's chakra…

Naruto apparently didn't control himself.

Or a version thereof.

Sitting in the room, red chakra surrounding him, Naruto was like a torch in the dark…and with Rouhi's earthen chains restraining him, Naruto was living out his Genjutsu in detail that Rouhi would never know.

His Genjutsu was parasitic. It had a life of its own, once applied…it essentially traveled the shortest path to the absolute breaking of one's mind, without making the illusion seem contrived.

Whatever it was, Naruto was enraged beyond comparison. Rouhi had already had to apply three more sets of earthen bindings, both to his torso, stomach and neck, to keep him from simply going on some sort of rampage.

Which really shouldn't have been possible. When the Genjutsu was applied, the victim was supposed to enter a catatonic state they would never really recover from.

This had only happened once before…sans Kyuubi's menacing chakra, of course, but the principle was the same.

He'd encountered a nukenin from Ame once, a nukenin that was supposedly as insane as any one person could be. His first action, of course, had been to apply his Genjutsu.

The Nin had kept coming, shouting unintelligible gibberish the whole way, seemingly abandoning all pretense of thought or cognition.

At the end, when the Nin had laid dead on the ground, he'd realized the cause.

Multiple personality disorder. More than one mind living in the same body.

When one mind is distracted, or otherwise occupied, the other can take over in its absence.

The problem, however, was two fold. Firstly, secondary personalities were almost always…different somehow from the original. They were usually mirror reflections of the original, the dark to the light, or vice versa. Secondly, secondary personalities often exhibited traits of insanity that the first personality had shed. Meaning, of course, that the secondary personality was only as insane as the primary personality would have been without it.

In a normal Shinobi, it would simply allow that Nin to shake off the effects of Genjutsu, pain, emotions…inhibitions, basically. While undoubtedly, it made a Nin more dangerous, it didn't necessarily make them more powerful.

In a Jinchuuriki, apparently, there was far more to it.

He glanced to the side of the room where his most trusted subordinate, a large man swathed in animal furs, was seated in the middle of a seal, a red fox in front of him twitching every so often.

Kyuubi. Kyuubi with an artificial, area-of-effect Gogyo Fuuin being used on her to circumvent the seal placed on the Shiki Fuuin to dispel such a seal, should it be applied.

However, it seemed that all it actually did, was separate the personality from the chakra. Kyuubi no longer had any say in the control of said chakra, giving it all up to Naruto…or perhaps, the second Naruto.

Thusfar, it was proving troublesome…but not untenable. While the boy was strong, and his second personality was just as tenacious as his first, it wasn't focused properly. An explosion with nothing to destroy was useless.

He glanced to the other side of the room, where a groggy, yet conscious pink haired Kunoichi was looking at Naruto through glazed eyes. Glazed eyes with tears spilling from them copiously.

She'd served her purpose. Mostly.

When the boy woke up, which he would…she would serve her final purpose.

To break him completely.

------------------------------------------------------

The room was undamaged.

Impossible. Three grenades, plus his own chakra, should have demolished it. Completely.

"Wow. Quite the explosion, wasn't it? You'll have to do far better than that, though."

From the haze the explosion had created, he saw five swords simultaneously come through and impale him. He spit up blood as his eyes boggled. He couldn't so much as scream.

He couldn't be losing…

"Oh, yes you can. Did you think this would be like some sort of sappy story where the hero prevails and gets the girl?"

The swords twisted in his gut. He squeaked out his pain.

"You're a Genin. A twelve year old Genin. Idealism can only get you so far, son of the Yondaime."

His eyes widened more, if possible. "…yon…dai…"

Chuckling. "Yes, Yondaime, the fourth Hokage…you're his son, right?" The voice became confused. "You didn't think that someone else knew?"

He grabbed at one of the swords protruding from his gut, and managed, somehow, to push it back out.

Four more swords came from the haze, and punctured his chest.

"For every one you remove, four shall replace it. Give it up already. It took almost everything you had left to push out that _one_."

He grit his teeth hard enough to crush a molar, and put his hands on another sword, pushing it from his gut.

Another four replaced it.

Outright laughing. "Are we a masochist? Truly, you must like pain! You're in luck, as I'm more than happy to indulge you."

The swords twisted.

This time, he managed a scream.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Na…ru…"

He was in so much pain…and that red chakra…his scream had almost shattered her eardrums.

She was watching almost as if she wasn't in her own body. Tears streamed down her face, but she couldn't feel them…her muscles, bones, everything…hurt. But they didn't exist.

Another scream.

She had caused this. He was in so much pain, agony…she had caused this! No matter her feelings for him, no matter what…they were Shinobi of the same village! How could she have done this? How could she have knowingly subjected her teammate to such a torture?!

"Sa…ku…ra…back…"

Her stomach wrenched.

The older man sitting in the back of the room made a handseal.

As her world faded to black, she heard a sigh of contentment.

"Finally."

-------------------------------------------------------

The pain had vanished.

Replaced, instantly, by shock.

The swords in his body, the room, the smoke from the explosions, even Sakura and Kyuubi were nowhere to be seen. All that existed was…grey. A floating grey that seemed to stretch on into infinity.

It was only him…and…him.

He was staring into a mirror.

His reflection smiled. "Just like old times, eh?"

It was strange, what you remembered, and when.

He blinked. "…I've been here before…"

The reflection's smile brightened. "Indeed, you have. Though, it has been quite some time, hasn't it? Years for you, I'm sure." The reflection seemed to flicker, and for a moment, Naruto thought he saw a deformed refraction of what his face would have looked like. "…an infinity for me, though."

Naruto blinked again. "Why…are you…me?"

The reflection distorted again, before returning to its prior form. "Who else would I be? Don't gods create things in their own image?"

"Gods?" Naruto furrowed his brow. "…am I a god?"

The reflection got larger. "What is the definition of a god?" The reflection seemed to outstretch his hands and grab Naruto's head, though there was no feeling associated with it. "If you create something from nothing…is that not a godly feat? _You_ created me from nothing, didn't you?" The hand tightened, though there was no pain. "Every time you cried, every time you felt pain, physical, mental…or otherwise…"

The reflection became a distortion.

"I was the one to suffer, wasn't I?" The distortion calmly began to sink its other hand into Naruto's midsection, again, without pain. "I made it all better for you. I hold the memories, the pain, the…"

The grey turned pink.

The distortion smiled. "…so that's his game, is it?" Laughing, the distortion grew larger, and its countenance grew dark. "It would only make sense."

Naruto's eyes began to close, though he felt…something…like an impending doom, or perhaps a great anxiety. "…what…are you…going…to…do…"

The distortion deformed completely, turning into something that Naruto wasn't. "What I always do. What I was created to do. What you want me to do. And for the first time…what I want to do."

The mirror began to crack. Naruto began to tear up for some reason.

The distortion, now Naruto, chuckled. "Goodbye, me. I will see you in a few infinities."

The new reflection reached out with a weak hand, and grasped nothing. "Good…bye…"

The mirror shattered.

He was left with naught but the cacophony of silence.

And silent weeping.

----------------------------------------------------

The boy was silent, unmoving and not breathing.

Rouhi blew out a large sigh. It was over. The boy had broken, dying from a collapse of his mind, his brain, and everything associated with it.

All that remained was disposing of the girl, and preparing the body for transport back to Iwa.

He stood, leaning on his cane. "Dorubo, take care of the girl and the fox…I will seal the body."

The man swathed in furs, holding a limp red fox in his arms, nodded unemotionally.

Rouhi, leaning over the body of the blonde boy, shook his head. "You were born to the wrong father, boy. If you are reincarnated, perhaps you shall lead a better life."

He made a seal.

The body smiled.

The body laughed.

The body breathed.

Naruto opened his eyes, a dark shade of purple, slit pupils and…one tomoe each swimming on the edges near the jet black rims.

The eyes locked on Rouhi. Rouhi stood in shock.

"…I wasn't born at all. I was created."

Red chakra, like the darkest miasma of poison, exploded from his body, sending Dorubou, Rouhi, Sakura and Kyuubi all hurtling into the wall.

The boy stood, walking like the eye of a hurricane, towards Rouhi, who was hard pressed to breathe.

The boy took Rouhi's aged chin in his hand and smiled saccharinely, insanely.

"You released me. Thanks."

Naruto's hand slid down the old man's throat, to settle around his trachea. He began to squeeze.

"Consider this a gift, from one demon to another."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------


End file.
